Dynamic proteome changes in Campylobacter jejuni 81-176 after high pressure shock and subsequent recovery

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most intriguing human foodborne bacterial pathogen. Its survival throughout the food processing chain and its pathogenesis mechanisms in humans remain enigmatic. Living in the animal guts and particularly in avian intestine as a commensal bacterium, this microorganism is frequently isolated from meat products. Ultra high pressure (HP) is a promising alternative to thermal technology for microbial safety of foodstuffs with less organoleptic and nutritional alterations. Its application could be extended to meat products potentially contaminated by C. jejuni. To evaluate the response of Campylobacter to this technological stress and subsequent recovery at a molecular level, a dynamic 2-DE-based proteomic approach has been implemented. After cultivation, C. jejuni cells were conditioned in a high-pressure chamber and transferred to fresh medium for recovery. The protein abundance dynamics at the proteome scale were analyzed by 2-DE during the cellular process of cell injury and recovery. Monitoring protein abundance through time unraveled the basic metabolisms involved in this cellular process. The significance of the proteome evolution modulated by HP and subsequent recovery is discussed in the context of a specific cellular response to stress and recovery of C. jejuni with 69 spots showing significant changes through time.