The Microbial Lipopeptide Paenibacterin Disrupts Desiccation Resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovars Tennessee and Eimsbuettel

Abstract

Salmonella enterica adapts effectively and persists for a long time in low-a w foods or environments through resistance mechanisms to desiccation stress. Desiccation-resistant cells compromise food safety and constitute a serious health hazard. Strategies to combat desiccation resistance in S. enterica are needed to sensitize the pathogen to lethal processes used in food preservation. The study proved that the membrane-active lipopeptide paenibacterin disrupts the resistance in desiccation-adapted S. enterica , as measured by phenotypic, biochemical, and genetic analyses. This study highlighted the role of the lipopeptide paenibacterin in disrupting mechanisms employed by S. enterica to resist desiccation. This knowledge may lead to the design of novel control measures to improve the safety of low-a w foods.