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Lack of induction of direct protection or cross-protection in Staphylococcus aureus by sublethal concentrations of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil and carvacrol in a meat-based medium

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Abstract

The capacity of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil (OVEO) and its majority compound, carvacrol (CAR), to induce direct tolerance and cross-tolerance in Staphylococcus aureus against high temperature (45 °C), lactic acid (pH 5.2) and NaCl (10 g/100 mL) was assessed. Overnight exposure of S. aureus to sublethal concentrations (1/2 MIC, 1/4 MIC) of either OVEO or CAR in meat broth revealed no induction of direct protection. S. aureus cells pre-adapted to OVEO or CAR showed no induction of cross-protection to high temperature, lactic acid or NaCl. Cells subjected to 24 h cycles of adaptation in increasing amounts (1/2 MIC to 2 × MIC) of OVEO or CAR showed no increase in direct tolerance. These results revealed a lack of induction of direct protection or cross-protection in S. aureus exposed to sublethal amounts of OVEO or CAR in meat-based broth, as determined by monitoring cell survival and growth behavior.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, Brazil) for financial support and to the Foundation of Research Support from Pernambuco State (FACEPE, Brazil) for a scholarship to the first author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Department of Nutrition, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil

    Isabelle Silva da Luz, Nelson Justino Gomes Neto, Adassa Gama Tavares, Pollyana Campos Nunes & Evandro Leite de Souza

  2. Laboratory of Biochemistry of Foods, Department of Food Engineering, Center of Technology, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil

    Marciane Magnani

  3. Departamento de Engenharia de Alimentos, Centro de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Campus I, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa, Paraíba, 58051-900, Brazil

    Marciane Magnani

Authors
  1. Isabelle Silva da Luz
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  2. Nelson Justino Gomes Neto
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  3. Adassa Gama Tavares
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  4. Pollyana Campos Nunes
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  5. Marciane Magnani
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  6. Evandro Leite de Souza
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marciane Magnani.

Additional information

Communicated by Shuang-Jiang Liu.

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Silva da Luz, I., Gomes Neto, N.J., Tavares, A.G. et al. Lack of induction of direct protection or cross-protection in Staphylococcus aureus by sublethal concentrations of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil and carvacrol in a meat-based medium. Arch Microbiol 195, 587–593 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-013-0907-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-013-0907-5

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