AUTHOR=Ling Na , Zhang Jumei , Li Chengsi , Zeng Haiyan , He Wenjing , Ye Yingwang , Wu Qingping 

TITLE=The Glutaredoxin Gene, grxB, Affects Acid Tolerance, Surface Hydrophobicity, Auto-Aggregation, and Biofilm Formation in Cronobacter sakazakii

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.00133

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2018.00133

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Cronobacter</italic> species are foodborne pathogens that can cause neonatal meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and sepsis; they have unusual abilities to survive in environmental stresses such as acid stress. However, the factors involved in acid stress responses and biofilm formation in <italic>Cronobacter</italic> species are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of <italic>grxB</italic> on cellular morphology, acid tolerance, surface hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation (AAg), motility, and biofilm formation in <italic>Cronobacter sakazakii</italic>. The deletion of <italic>grxB</italic> decreased resistance to acid stresses, and notably led to weaker surface hydrophobicity, AAg, and biofilm formation under normal and acid stress conditions, compared with those of the wild type strain; however, motility was unaffected. Therefore, <italic>grxB</italic> appears to contribute to the survival of <italic>C. sakazakii</italic> in acid stresses and biofilm formation. This is the first report to provide valuable evidence for the role of <italic>grxB</italic> in acid stress responses and biofilm formation in <italic>C. sakazakii.</italic></p>