Characterization of osmotically induced filaments of Salmonella enterica.

ABSTRACT: Salmonella enterica forms aseptate filaments with multiple nucleoids when cultured in hyperosmotic conditions. These osmotic-induced filaments are viable and form single colonies on agar plates even though they contain multiple genomes and have the potential to divide into multiple daughter cells. Introducing filaments that are formed during osmotic stress into culture conditions without additional humectants results in the formation of septa and their division into individual cells, which could present challenges to retrospective analyses of infectious dose and risk assessments. We sought to characterize the underlying mechanisms of osmotic-induced filament formation. The concentration of proteins and chromosomal DNA in filaments and control cells was similar when standardized by biomass.

SUBMITTER: Pratt ZL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3426695 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature