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Published on: June 3, 2018
Bacterial SOS response: a food safety perspective
Stijn van der Veen1, Tjakko Abee
1Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Nieuwe Kanaal 9A, 6709 PA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Stijn.vanderVeen@wur.nl
Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|December 21, 2010
Summary
The bacterial SOS response (Survival And Stress) pathway aids DNA repair but can cause stress resistance and mutagenesis. This review examines SOS response triggers and its impact on foodborne bacteria survival and adaptation.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Food Safety
Background:
- The SOS response is a conserved bacterial pathway crucial for DNA repair and restarting stalled replication forks.
- Activation of the SOS response confers stress resistance and can lead to mutagenesis.
- Bacterial exposure to stress in food processing and preservation can activate the SOS response, promoting adaptation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the triggers of the bacterial SOS response mechanism.
- To analyze the impact of the SOS response on the survival of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria.
- To place the bacterial SOS response in a food safety context.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on the bacterial SOS response.
- Analysis of triggers that activate the SOS response in bacteria.
- Evaluation of the consequences of SOS response activation on bacterial survival and adaptation in food environments.
Main Results:
- Identified various triggers of the SOS response in bacteria relevant to food processing.
- Demonstrated that SOS response activation enhances bacterial survival under stress conditions.
- Highlighted the role of the SOS response in the adaptation of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria.
Conclusions:
- The SOS response is a significant factor in bacterial adaptation and survival in food processing environments.
- Understanding SOS response triggers is crucial for developing strategies to control resistant bacteria in food.
- Further research into the SOS response can improve food safety measures against bacterial contamination.
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