A multi-approach study of influence of growth temperature and nutrient deprivation in a strain of Aeromonas hydrophila

In the present study we investigated the behavior of an Aeromonas hydrophila strain in prolonged nutrient deprivation condition analyzing the possible link among survival, cell morphology and adhesive characteristics and correlating them with the expression of the 43 kDa outer membrane protein (OMP). The strain was inoculated in mineral and drinking chlorinated water, and in Nutrient Broth as a control with incubation at 4 and 24 °C for 176 days. Specimens were analyzed at different times during starvation stress. Viability was assessed by flow cytometry and growth by plate count technique; morphology and adhesivity were detected by optical and electron microscopy. The 43 kDa OMP expression at different times was determined after immunoblotting assay using a polyclonal antibody produced in rabbit. The results showed a long-term viability as evidenced by cytofluorimetric analysis; however, the prolonged starvation led to the shift from the normal rod shaped cells to spherical forms in the last phases of incubation especially at 24 °C. Concomitantly with the appearance of spherical cells we noted a reduction of the 43 kDa OMP content and adhesive ability. Therefore, our results suggest a role of the 43 kDa OMP as adhesin in A. hydrophila. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the bacterium can long survive under stress conditions, however adopting strategies which can lead to a loss of some cell surface components involved in the interactions with eukaryotic cells, therefore modifying its virulence properties.