Surface properties and behaviour on abiotic surfaces of Staphylococcus carnosus, a genetically homogeneous species

• Published in: Food microbiology Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 44 - 51
• Main Authors: Planchon, S, Gaillard-Martinie, B, Leroy, S, Bellon-Fontaine, M.N, Fadda, S, Talon, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier 01-02-2007
• Subjects: abiotic stress; antigenic variation; bacterial adhesion; Bacterial Adhesion - physiology; bacterial colonization; biodiversity; Biofilms - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; Culture Media; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Contamination - prevention & control; Food industries; food industry; Food Microbiology; food processing plants; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic Variation; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; polysaccharides; Polytetrafluoroethylene; scanning electron microscopy; serotypes; Stainless Steel; Staphylococcus - genetics; Staphylococcus - physiology; Staphylococcus - ultrastructure; Staphylococcus carnosus; surface quality; Scanning electron microscopy; Genetic variability; Genetic diversity; Bacterial colonization; Surface; Polysaccharides; Surface properties; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Micrococcaceae; Staphylococcus carnosus; Species; Polysaccharide
• ISSN: 0740-0020; 1095-9998
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2006.03.010

This work aimed to characterize the surface properties of Staphylococcus carnosus and the influence of different media on their ability to adhere and grow on industrial supports. As their colonization could be dependant of the strain, the genetic diversity of the strains was studied. The diversity of 13 strains analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that the S. carnosus strains formed a homogeneous genetic group. Their surface properties, characterized by studying their affinity to solvents, were hydrophilic with a strong negative surface charge. The S. carnosus strain CIT 833 hardly adhered to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and stainless steel chips. Tryptic soy broth (TSB) was the most favourable medium for growth on stainless steel support while TSB/NaCl was better for growth on PTFE. Scanning electron microscopy (sem) showed that this strain weakly colonized both supports and did not form cell aggregates. Indeed, the strain did not synthesize polysaccharides. These results showed that S. carnosus adhered on different abiotic surfaces which are used in food factories but was not able to accumulate on these surfaces. The inability of S. carnosus to form biofilm could explain why S. carnosus is rarely isolated in meat processing environment.