Abstract
Late-exponential-phase cells of Escherichia coli O157:H- strain E32511/HSC became nonculturable in sterilized distilled water microcosms at 4 °C. Plate counts declined from 3 × 106 to less than 0.1 CFU/ml in about 21 days. However, when samples of microcosms at 21 days were inoculated onto an agar medium amended with catalase or nonenzyme peroxide-degrading compounds such as sodium pyruvate or α-ketoglutaric acid, plate counts increased to 104–105 CFU/ml within 48 h. The proposed mode of action of the catalase or pyruvate is via the degradation of the metabolic by-product H2O2, rather than through supplementation of a required nutrient in the recovery of nonculturable cells. Our studies were based on the assumption that E32511/HSC strain responds to starvation and a low temperature by entering a nonculturable state and that the correction of oxidative stress upon the inoculation of bacteria on agar plates promotes recovery of nonculturable cells.
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Received: 15 January 1999 / Accepted: 8 April 1999
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Mizunoe, Y., Wai, S., Takade, A. et al. Restoration of culturability of starvation-stressed and low-temperature-stressed Escherichia coli O157 cells by using H2O2-degrading compounds. Arch Microbiol 172, 63–67 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002030050741
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002030050741