Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Megaron Athens International Conference Center
Agapi Doulgeraki, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
George Efthimiou, University of Athens, A, Greece
Spiros Paramithiotis, Laboratory of Food Quality Control and Hygiene, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Katerina Pappas, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Miltos Typas, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
George-John Nychas, Agricultural University of Athens, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Athens, Greece
Introduction: The emergence of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in food has provoked a great concern about the presence of MRSA in associated foodstuff, nowadays. Although MRSA is often detected in various retailed meat products, it seems that food handlers are more strongly associated with this type of food contamination. Taking this information into account, any food could be contaminated with this pathogen in an industrial environment or in household and cause food poisoning.
Purpose: This study aims to examine the effect of rocket extract on MRSA growth and proteome.
Methods: A comparative study of the MRSA strain COL proteome, cultivated in rocket extract versus laboratory medium (LB) was designed. The differential expressed proteins in the rocket extract were monitor using 2-DE analysis and bioinformatic tools
Results: It was shown that MRSA growth was delayed in rocket extract compared to LB medium. In addition, proteome analysis using 2-DE method showed that MRSA strain COL is taking advantage of the sugar-, lipid- and vitamin-rich substrate in the liquid rocket extract, while defending against the antimicrobial agents found in the plant extract (flavonoids, terpenoids or oxidative agents).
Significance: This work could initiate further research about bacterial metabolism in plant-based media and defense mechanisms against plant-derived antibacterials.
