Enterotoxin Gene Distribution and Genotypes of Bacillus cereus sensu lato Isolated from Cassava Starch

Abstract

Bacillus cereus is a human pathogenic bacterium found in foods with the potential to cause emesis and diarrhea. This study estimated the presence, toxigenic and genomic diversity of B. cereus s.l. obtained from cassava starch samples collected in bakeries and powdered food companies in Medellín (Colombia). Bacillus cereuss.l. was found in 43 of 75 (57%) cassava starch samples and 98 isolates were obtained. The nheABC, hblCDAB, cytK2, entFM and cesB toxin genes were detected by multiplex PCR and the most frequent operon was nheABC, whereas cesB gene was not found. Twelve toxigenic profiles were determined by the detection of toxin genes, and the most frequent profiles harbored all enterotoxin genes. A broad genomic diversity was detected according to GTG5-PCR fingerprinting results with 76 B. cereus s.l. grouped in sixteen clusters and the 22 isolates clustering separately. No relationship was observed between genomic background and toxigenic profiles. In general, the results showed a high genomic and enterotoxigenic diversity in B. cereus s.l. found in cassava starch. These results should incentive future studies to understand the distribution of B. cereus s.l. isolated on raw materials in comparison with finished products.

Genetic diversity of enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus strains in coriander in southwestern Mexico

“…The rest include strains from different markets. On the one hand, this study evidences the wide genetic diversity of B. cereus strains previously described in other food matrices with this same technique ( Sánchez-Chica et al, 2021a ; Sánchez-Chica et al, 2021b ; Samapundo et al, 2011 ; Samapundo et al, 2014 ). On the other hand, the concentration of coriander producers in the markets coming from different locations near the region, with possible differences in pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest stages, could explain this genetic diversity.…”

Peer Review #1 of "Genetic diversity of enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus strains in coriander in southwestern Mexico (v0.1)"

“…The rest include strains from different markets. On the one hand, this study evidences the wide genetic diversity of B. cereus strains previously described in other food matrices with this same technique (Sánchez-Chica et al, 2021a;Sánchez-Chica et al, 2021b;Samapundo et al, 2011;Samapundoet al, 2014). On the other hand, the concentration of coriander producers in the markets coming from different locations near the region, with possible differences in pre-harvest, harvest, and postharvest stages, could explain this genetic diversity.…”

Phylogenic identification of toxigenic Bacillus cereus in chili and white pepper from Bogor area, Indonesia

“…According toWehrle et al (2010), the incidence of ces gene in B. cereus species strains is low, generally less than 5%. In harmony with this,Chon et al (2015),Fogele et al (2018),Park et al (2018) andSánchez-Chica et al (2021), did not find any ces genes in all the spice, ready to eat vegetables, vegetable and cassava starch samples they analyzed, respectively. Moreover,Ceuppens et al (2011) andFrentzel et al (2016) reported only 1.5% and 1.7% of their samples to contain the ces gene.…”