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Characterization of the Clostridium perfringens phage endolysin cpp-lys and its application on lettuce
Xiaonan Zhao1, Lulu Li1, Qing Zhang1
1Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, PR China; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, PR China.
International Journal of Food Microbiology
|July 31, 2023
Summary
This study shows endolysin cpp-lys effectively controls Clostridium perfringens, a foodborne pathogen, on lettuce. The protein is stable and non-toxic, offering a promising solution for food safety.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Food Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Clostridium perfringens is a significant foodborne pathogen causing severe health and economic impacts.
- Controlling C. perfringens contamination in food products remains a critical challenge for public health and the food industry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clone, overexpress, and characterize the endolysin cpp-lys from C. perfringens phage cpp.
- To evaluate the efficacy of endolysin cpp-lys in controlling C. perfringens contamination on lettuce.
- To assess the stability and safety profile of endolysin cpp-lys for potential food industry applications.
Main Methods:
- Gene cloning and protein overexpression of cpp-lys.
- Characterization of endolysin cpp-lys activity, stability (temperature, pH), and storage effects.
- Evaluation of cpp-lys efficacy on C. perfringens J1 viability on lettuce.
- Assessment of cpp-lys cytotoxicity against eukaryotic cells and the effect of metal ions (Zn2+) and EDTA.
Main Results:
- Endolysin cpp-lys exhibited lytic activity against seven C. perfringens strains.
- The protein remained stable across a wide temperature range (4-50°C) and pH (4-9), with no loss of activity after 30-day storage at various temperatures (except 37°C and 42°C).
- On lettuce, cpp-lys significantly reduced C. perfringens J1 by >4-log within 15 minutes and showed no cytotoxicity to eukaryotic cells. Zn2+ inhibited activity, while EDTA treatment reduced efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Endolysin cpp-lys is a potent and stable agent against Clostridium perfringens.
- Its non-cytotoxic nature and effectiveness on food surfaces suggest significant potential for food safety applications.
- Further research into optimizing cpp-lys application, potentially considering its interaction with metal ions, is warranted for industrial implementation.
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