Transcriptomic Response of Salmonella Typhimurium Heat Shock Gene Expression Under Thermal Stress at 48 °C

Abstract

Salmonella enterica has been associated with a variety of food products, and thermal treatments are commonly used to reduce or eliminate pathogens from these foods. While the physiological response of Salmonella to a wide range of lethal and sublethal heating temperatures has been examined, only limited information is available at the transcriptional level. The objective of this study was to investigate the transcriptional profile of Salmonella Typhimurium when subjected to thermal shock at 48 °C (10 min). Transcriptomic analysis was performed using partial microarrays (1152 genes) consisting of quorum sensing, virulence, membrane, and stress related genes. Apparent Salmonella viability based on the optical density decreased in response to thermal exposure. Transcriptomic analysis revealed induction of several heat shock and stress related genes due to thermal exposure at 48 °C. This research reveals that there is an impact of exposure to a sublethal temperature (48°C) on the subsequent transcriptional responses of S. Typhimurium.