Weak Organic Acids: A Panoply of Effects on Bacteria

Hirshfield, Irvin N.; Terzulli, Stephanie; O’Byrne, Conor

doi:10.3184/003685003783238626

Cited by 191 publications

(143 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Weak organic acids such as acetic, lactic, benzoic and sorbic acids have been shown to inhibit the outgrowth of both bacterial and fungal cells (Brul and Coote 1999). However, despite their widespread use, for example as food additives and preservatives, the antimicrobial mode of action of weak acids is still not fully understood (Hirshfield et al 2003). Whilst strong acids are virtually completely dissociated in dilute aqueous solutions, weak organic acids exist in equilibrium between the undissociated and the dissociated state, dependent on the pH of the solution (Lund and Eklund 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sphagnan - a pectin-like polymer isolated fromSphagnummoss can inhibit the growth of some typical food spoilage and food poisoning bacteria by lowering the pH

Stalheim

Ballance

Christensen

et al. 2009

Journal of Applied Microbiology

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Aims: Investigate if the antibacterial effect of sphagnan, a pectin‐like carbohydrate polymer extracted from Sphagnum moss, can be accounted for by its ability to lower the pH. Methods and Results: Antibacterial activity of sphagnan was assessed and compared to that of three other acids. Sphagnan in its acid form was able to inhibit growth of various food poisoning and spoilage bacteria on low‐buffering solid growth medium, whereas sphagnan in its sodium form at neutral pH had no antibacterial activity. At similar acidic pH, sphagnan had comparable antibacterial activity to that of hydrochloric acid and a control rhamnogalacturonan pectin in its acid form. Conclusions: Sphagnan in its acid form is a weak macromolecular acid that can inhibit bacterial growth by lowering the pH of environments with a low buffering capacity. Significance and Impact of the Study: It has previously been suggested that sphagnan is an antimicrobial polysaccharide in the leaves of Sphagnum moss with a broad range of potential practical applications. Our results now show that sphagnan in its acid form can indeed inhibit bacterial growth, but only of acid‐sensitive species. These findings represent increased knowledge towards our understanding on how sphagnan or Sphagnum moss might be used in practical applications.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sphagnan - a pectin-like polymer isolated fromSphagnummoss can inhibit the growth of some typical food spoilage and food poisoning bacteria by lowering the pH

Stalheim

Ballance

Christensen

et al. 2009

Journal of Applied Microbiology

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“…Accumulation of the anion may also cause harm to the cell (17,34). The strong upregulation of yhcA, encoding a major facilitator superfamily multidrug resistance transporter homologue, suggested a potential anion extrusion mechanism.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transcriptome Analysis of Sorbic Acid-Stressed Bacillus subtilis Reveals a Nutrient Limitation Response and Indicates Plasma Membrane Remodeling

et al. 2008

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The weak organic acid sorbic acid is a commonly used food preservative, as it inhibits the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds. We have used genome-wide transcriptional profiling of Bacillus subtilis cells during mild sorbic acid stress to reveal the growth-inhibitory activity of this preservative and to identify potential resistance mechanisms. Our analysis demonstrated that sorbic acid-stressed cells induce responses normally seen upon nutrient limitation. This is indicated by the strong derepression of the CcpA, CodY, and Fur regulon and the induction of tricarboxylic acid cycle genes, SigL-and SigH-mediated genes, and the stringent response. Intriguingly, these conditions did not lead to the activation of sporulation, competence, or the general stress response. The fatty acid biosynthesis (fab) genes and BkdR-regulated genes are upregulated, which may indicate plasma membrane remodeling. This was further supported by the reduced sensitivity toward the fab inhibitor cerulenin upon sorbic acid stress. We are the first to present a comprehensive analysis of the transcriptional response of B. subtilis to sorbic acid stress.

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“…Traditionally, organic acids have been added to elicit bacteriostatic and bactericidal impacts on undesirable organisms in potentially contaminated food products. A wide range of antimicrobial mechanisms, including osmotic stress, anion toxicity, and membrane disruption, have been proposed over the years, but inhibition is generally believed to be closely tied to pH because of its influence on the formation of undissociated organic acids, which can easily cross the cell membrane and dis-sociate into anions and protons in the presence of the cytoplasmic neutral pH (309)(310)(311)(312)(313). The acids not only result in the acidification of the cytoplasm and the accompanying difficulties for cellular constituents to perform essential metabolic functions in the cell but also lead to an energy drain due to the consumption of ATP to actively export protons (310).…”

Section: Salmonella Acid Tolerance Response and Organic Acidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salmonella Pathogenicity and Host Adaptation in Chicken-Associated Serovars

Foley

Johnson

Ricke

et al. 2013

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

270

218

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SUMMARY Enteric pathogens such as Salmonella enterica cause significant morbidity and mortality. S. enterica serovars are a diverse group of pathogens that have evolved to survive in a wide range of environments and across multiple hosts. S. enterica serovars such as S . Typhi, S . Dublin, and S . Gallinarum have a restricted host range, in which they are typically associated with one or a few host species, while S . Enteritidis and S . Typhimurium have broad host ranges. This review examines how S. enterica has evolved through adaptation to different host environments, especially as related to the chicken host, and continues to be an important human pathogen. Several factors impact host range, and these include the acquisition of genes via horizontal gene transfer with plasmids, transposons, and phages, which can potentially expand host range, and the loss of genes or their function, which would reduce the range of hosts that the organism can infect. S . Gallinarum, with a limited host range, has a large number of pseudogenes in its genome compared to broader-host-range serovars. S. enterica serovars such as S . Kentucky and S . Heidelberg also often have plasmids that may help them colonize poultry more efficiently. The ability to colonize different hosts also involves interactions with the host's immune system and commensal organisms that are present. Thus, the factors that impact the ability of Salmonella to colonize a particular host species, such as chickens, are complex and multifactorial, involving the host, the pathogen, and extrinsic pressures. It is the interplay of these factors which leads to the differences in host ranges that we observe today.

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Weak Organic Acids: A Panoply of Effects on Bacteria

Cited by 191 publications

References 60 publications

Sphagnan - a pectin-like polymer isolated fromSphagnummoss can inhibit the growth of some typical food spoilage and food poisoning bacteria by lowering the pH

Sphagnan - a pectin-like polymer isolated fromSphagnummoss can inhibit the growth of some typical food spoilage and food poisoning bacteria by lowering the pH

Transcriptome Analysis of Sorbic Acid-Stressed Bacillus subtilis Reveals a Nutrient Limitation Response and Indicates Plasma Membrane Remodeling

Salmonella Pathogenicity and Host Adaptation in Chicken-Associated Serovars

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