The Role of Chitin in the Thermoprotection of Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae has been shown to be able to survive short periods of boiling. The potential role of chitin in the thermoprotection of Vibrio cholerae was determined. When V. cholerae 6706 (OI E1 Tor) cells were incubated at 37°C in the presence of chitin, the bacteria were able to grow in the absence of any other energy source. In phosphate-buffered saline, growth was not supported. The ability of six pathogenic strains to survive at 60°C was investigated. None of the isolates tested was able to survive at 60°C for 10 min regardless of whether chitin was present. Further investigation revealed that isolate 6706 was able to withstand 50°C for a period of 10 min; pre-incubation with chitin decreased the survival time at this temperature. The data presented here show that chitin does not provide thermoprotection.