Critical events leading to cellular mortality of yeast cells following hydrostatic pressure treatment

ABSTRACT

Hydrostatic pressures of 40–150?MPa are sub-lethal conditions for yeast cells. On exposure to this pressure range, damaged yeast cells will attempt to recover, but a critical cellular event may ultimately lead to cell mortality. We employed yeast strains whose cellular organelles were labeled with green fluorescent protein to investigate this critical event. We were able to visualize the nuclear membrane, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi body, and plasma membranes. Of the cellular organelles tested, the nuclear membrane was the weakest, displaying damage following only 50?MPa of pressure. This nuclear membrane rupture correlated with cellular viability. Thus, we hypothesize that nuclear membrane damage is the critical event leading to cellular mortality of yeast cells following hydrostatic pressure treatment.     

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the survival of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in model suspensions and beetroot juice

The inactivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCFB 3191 using high hydrostatic pressure of 300 MPa at 20°C with a holding time of 0, 1, 5 and 10 min was investigated with model suspensions in phosphate-buffered saline and in beetroot juice. The reduction in S. cerevisiae NCFB 3191 in model suspensions was about 5 log after 10 min of pressurization, irrespective of the initial level of cell concentration in the samples (5.4–8.7 log cfu/mL). The baroprotective effect of beetroot juice on yeast cells during pressurization was observed; the reduction was lower and was only 3.5 log (the inoculum was 5.4 log cfu/mL). No sublethal injury among the surviving cells of the studied yeast strain was found.     

High-throughput screening of food additives with synergistic effects on high hydrostatic pressure inactivation of budding yeast

ABSTRACT

We focused on food additives that enhance the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment for microbial inactivation. We previously isolated Saccharomyces cerevisiae ultraviolet (UV) mutant strain a1210H12 that does not cause a growth delay under specific high pressure treatment conditions. We conceived that it is possible to screen effective food additives in a high-throughput manner by combining strain a1210H12 with a viable cell count method based on liquid culture, named high-throughput microbial pressure inactivation kinetics analysis system (HT-PIKAS). Here, we analyzed the synergistic effect between food additives and HHP treatment on inactivation of strain a1210H12 using HT-PIKAS. We calculated the inactivation rate in the condition of additive only, HHP treatment only and HHP treatment with additive. As a result, four compounds, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, adipic acid and caproic acid, showed high synergistic effects with HHP treatment and could be selected from more than 30 compounds as safe food additives.     

The role of proteasome in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae response to sub-lethal high pressure treatment

Hydrostatic pressure is a physical factor that can induce stress in organisms. This stress leads to growth inhibition, cellular arrest, and cellular death, and these effects depend on the degree of pressure, temperature, and sensitivity of the organisms to hydrostatic pressure. Genomics studies of yeast cells under conditions recovering from high pressure-induced cellular damage showed evidence that multiprotein complexes or membrane proteins, and not soluble proteins, are the critical targets. We performed a metabolomic analysis. The metabolomics results suggested that membrane-spanning proteins broke down after high pressure treatment and recovery conditions. We also found 13 genes that were common to essential and pressure-induced gene groups. Among these 13 genes, more than 10 were associated with proteasome structure and functions. This suggests that proteasome structure or functions can be the critical target or a highly important factor. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that yeast cells are sensitive to the proteasome inhibitor MG132 after high pressure treatment.     

Identification of a regulatory element for yeast tryptophan permease Tat2 ubiquitination using high hydrostatic pressure

ABSTRACT

Tryptophan uptake in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is extremely sensitive to high pressure; therefore, the growth of tryptophan auxotrophic strains is impaired. Degradation of tryptophan permease Tat2 is enhanced at 25?MPa, depending on Rsp5 ubiquitin ligase. Any defect in Tat2 ubiquitination confers high pressure growth capacity, which is a luminous phenotype of the yeast used to explore the mechanism by which Rsp5 mediates Tat2 ubiquitination. Here we show that the N-terminal four (K17, K20, K29, and K31) among five lysines are required for efficient Tat2 degradation under high pressure. We found that a domain spanning D70 to S76 is also critical for Tat2 degradation at 25?MPa probably because of the recognition by Bul1, an adaptor protein of Rsp5. Defects in Tat2 ubiquitination do not produce any remarkable mutant phenotype at 0.1?MPa. Therefore, we suggest that high pressure is a unique and advanced tool to explore ubiquitination-dependent Tat2 regulation.     

Effect of high hydrostatic pressure and high dynamic pressure on stability and rheological properties of model oil-in-water emulsions

Both static and dynamic high pressure applications provide interesting modifications in food structures which lead to new product formulations. In this study, the effects of two different treatments, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and high dynamic pressure (HDP), on oil-in-water emulsions were identified and compared. Microfluidization was selected from among the HDP homogenization techniques. The performance of each process was analyzed in terms of rheological modifications and emulsion stability improvements compared with the coarse emulsions. The stability of the emulsions was determined comparatively by using an analytical photo-centrifuge device employing novel analysis technology. Whey protein isolate (WPI) in combination with a food polysaccharide (xanthan gum, guar gum or locust bean gum) were used as emulsifying and stabilizing ingredients. The effective disruption of oil droplets and the degradation of polysaccharides by the shear forces under high pressure in HDP microfluidization yielded finer emulsions with lower viscosities, leading to distinctive improvements in emulsion stability. On the other hand, improvements in stability obtained with HHP treatment were due to the thickening of the emulsions mainly induced by protein unfolding. The corresponding increases in viscosity were intensified in emulsion formulations containing higher oil content. Apart from these, HHP treatment was found to be relatively more contributive to the enhancements in viscoelastic properties.     

Use of pulsed-high hydrostatic pressure treatment to decrease patulin in apple juice

This study was aimed at reducing patulin content of apple juice using a non-thermal method, namely pulsed-high hydrostatic pressure (p-HHP). Commercially available clear apple juice was contaminated artificially with different concentrations of patulin (5, 50 and 100?ppb). Then, the samples were processed 5?min at different pressure treatments (300–500?MPa) in combination with different temperatures (30–50°C) and pulses (6 pulses?×?50?s and 2 pulses?×?150?s). To compare the impact of pulses, single pulse of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment was also applied with the same pressure/temperature combinations and holding time. Results indicated that pressure treatment in combination with mild heat and pulses reduced the levels of patulin in clear apple juice up to 62.11%. However, reduction rates did not follow a regular pattern. p-HHP was found to be more effective in low patulin concentrations, whereas HHP was more effective for high patulin concentrations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using p-HHP to investigate the reduction of patulin content in apple juice.     

Structural and kinetic aspects of hydrostatic pressure effect on polymer network formation

Abstract

Effect of hydrostatic pressure up to 250 MPa on structurization kinetics and morphology of network polymers based on epoxy oligomers has been studied using the methods of measurements of volume resistivity and optical microscopy.     

Enrichment of free amino acid content and reduction of astringent taste compounds in soybean by high hydrostatic pressure

ABSTRACT

We investigated the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on the distribution of free amino acids and isoflavones in soybean immediately after pressure treatment (100–600?MPa, 10–60?min). HHP-treatment at 200 and 300?MPa resulted in high accumulation of free amino acids. Additionally, Gly, Val, and Pro levels increased even after HHP of 400?MPa. The application of HHP-treatment to soybean decreased sources of an astringent taste such as genistein-, daizein-, and glycitein-type molecules under all pressure conditions over 200?MPa. High accumulation of free amino acids with specific pressure–time conditions would be caused by the acceleration of proteolysis and specific amino acid metabolism. We concluded that HHP alone with no subsequent storage enabled the enrichment of specific amino acids such as GABA, Glu, Lys, and Pro in soybean. Soybean with enrichment of these amino acids and improved taste should be an innovative component of functional foods.     

Overexpression of EAR1 and SSH4 that encode PPxY proteins in the multivesicular body provides stability to tryptophan permease Tat2, allowing yeast cells to grow under high hydrostatic pressure

Tryptophan uptake in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is susceptible to high hydrostatic pressure and it limits the growth of tryptophan auxotrophic (Trp^?) strains under pressures of 15–25 MPa. The susceptibility of tryptophan uptake is accounted for by the pressure-induced degradation of tryptophan permease Tat2 occurring in a Rsp5 ubiquitin ligase-dependent manner. Ear1 and Ssh4 are multivesicular body proteins that physically interact with Rsp5. We found that overexpression of either of the EAR1 or SSH4 genes enabled the Trp^? cells to grow at 15–25 MPa. EAR1 and SSH4 appeared to provide stability to the Tat2 protein when overexpressed. The result suggests that Ear1 and Ssh4 negatively regulate Rsp5 on ubiquitination of Tat2. Currently, high hydrostatic pressure is widely used in bioscience and biotechnology for structurally perturbing macromolecules such as proteins and lipids or in food processing and sterilizing microbes. We suggest that hydrostatic pressure is an operative experimental parameter to screen yeast genes specifically for regulation of Tat2 through the function of Rsp5 ubiquitin ligase.     

X‐ray reflectivity measurements of liquid/solid interfaces under high hydrostatic pressure conditions

A high‐pressure cell for in situ X‐ray reflectivity measurements of liquid/solid interfaces at hydrostatic pressures up to 500 MPa (5 kbar), a pressure regime that is particularly important for the study of protein unfolding, is presented. The original set‐up of this hydrostatic high‐pressure cell is discussed and its unique properties are demonstrated by the investigation of pressure‐induced adsorption of the protein lysozyme onto hydrophobic silicon wafers. The presented results emphasize the enormous potential of X‐ray reflectivity studies under high hydrostatic pressure conditions for the in situ investigation of adsorption phenomena in biological systems.     

Decrease in optical density as a results of germination of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris spores under high hydrostatic pressure

Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris is a spore-forming bacterium, causing spoilage of juices. The spores of these bacteria have the ability to survive in the typical conditions used for thermal pasteurization. Therefore, the use of other techniques such as high hydrostatic pressure is considered for their inactivation. The effect of hydrostatic pressure of 200–500 MPa, at temperatures 4–50 °C for 15 min, on the dynamics of germination of A. acidoterrestris spores in apple juice and pH 4 buffer was studied. To estimate the share of germinated spores, the method of determining the optical density at a wavelength of 660 nm (OD₆₆₀) was used. Parameters of hydrostatic pressure treatment used in this work affected the dynamics of germination of A. acidoterrestris spores in apple juice, and the temperature had the greatest effect. The results indicate that nutrients present in apple juice can promote the germination of A. acidoterrestris spores.     

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on secondary structure and emulsifying behavior of sweet potato protein

In this study, secondary structures of sweet potato protein (SPP) after high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment (200–600?MPa) were evaluated and emulsifying properties of emulsions with HHP-treated SPP solutions in different pH values (3, 6, and 9) were investigated. Circular dichroism analysis confirmed the modification of the SPP secondary structure. Surface hydrophobicity increased at pH 3 and decreased at 6 and 9. Emulsifying activity index at pH 6 increased with an increase in pressure, whereas emulsifying stability index increased at pH 6 and 9. Oil droplet sizes decreased, while volume frequency distribution of the smaller droplets increased at pH 3 and 6 with the HHP treatment. Emulsion viscosity increased at pH 6 and 9 and pseudo-plastic flow behaviors were not altered for all emulsions produced with HHP-treated SPP. These results suggested that HHP could modify the SPP structure for better emulsifying properties, which could increase the use of SPP emulsion in the food industry.     

Clarification of the recovery mechanism of Escherichia coli after hydrostatic pressure treatment

High hydrostatic pressure (HP) technology has gained more attention as a non-thermal food pasteurization technology. Recently, a limitation of the HP technology was reported by Koseki and Yamamoto [Recovery of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 in phosphate buffered saline after treatment with high hydrostatic pressure. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 2006;110:108–111], who completely recovered Escherichia coli species after HP treatment. We investigated the recovery mechanism of E. coli after HP treatment. The cells were treated with 200–300 MPa at 0–25°C for 24 h. The HP-treated E. coli was recovered in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) during 120 h of incubation at 25°C, confirming the results reported by them. However, E. coli did not grow in PBS but grew with inactivated cells in PBS. In addition, the results of our “population size experiments” demonstrated that the recovery of E. coli cells depended on both the degree of pressure and the population size. These results suggest that some portion of cells recovered from the damage and then grew by using inactivated cells.     

The usage of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) to control food-borne pathogens in hummus

ABSTRACT

With the increasing demand for fresher, higher quality, minimally processed and safer food, there is a strong necessity to develop non-thermal processing techniques. Also for hummus, which is popular all around the world. In this work, the effect of refrigerated storage on the survival of pathogens in hummus treated by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) (500?MPa/10?min/room temperature) was evaluated. The cocktail of two Salmonella, four Listeria monocytogenes and two Escherichia coli strains was used in this study. All pathogen types were able to survive in hummus during 60 days of refrigerated storage. HHP-treated samples plated on day 0 successfully achieved a?>?5 log cfu/g reduction for all pathogen types. No residual survivors were present after 30 and 60 days in any of the HHP-treated samples. These results demonstrate that HHP may be a useful technique for the inactivation of pathogens and therefore helpful in designing non-thermal HHP conditions for pressurization of hummus.     

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on taste substance distribution in fresh green tea leaves

ABSTRACT

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) can be an alternative method to steaming to inhibit enzymatic fermentation in green tea making process. However, the effect of HHP treatment on green tea taste is not clear. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effect of HHP on substances associated with green tea taste. Fresh green tea leaves were immediately treated with HHP at 300, 500, or 700?MPa for 10, 30, or 60 min at 25°C. The concentration of free amino acids, catechins, and caffeine in HHP-treated samples was quantified by LC-MS. The taste intensity of the samples was detected by taste sensors. HHP resulted in a high accumulation of free amino acids in green tea leaves, which was likely due to proteolysis. In particular, theanine synthesis may have been promoted by an increase in the concentration of substrates during HHP. Compared to steaming, HHP enhanced umami richness, and inhibited bitterness and astringency.     

Evaluation of high hydrostatic pressure effects on bovine red blood cells and platelets

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on the stability of red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets. Bovine blood cells (n=5) were treated with the pressure of 55, 110, 154 and 220 MPa at 25 °C for 5 min. Light microscopy, atomic force microscopy and flow cytometry studies revealed that RBCs were morphologically stable up until the 220 MPa pressure treatments, at which surface modifications were observed. The platelets were found to be less stable than RBCs. HHP application did not cause any significant change in the signal intensity, band area and frequency values of the infrared bands with the exception that a significant variation was observed in the area of the cholesterol band. No statistically significant variations were observed in the secondary structure elements due to HHP treatment according to the artificial neural network study based on the FTIR data.     

Study of semiconductor lasers under simultaneous uniaxial stress and hydrostatic pressure

Abstract

We present the design of a device for the simultaneous application of uniaxial stress and hydrostatic pressure. This new apparatus will for the first time allow measurements at constant strain. Results of the simultaneous application of uniaxial stress and hydrostatic pressure to a semiconductor laser are presented and discussed.     

Inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus using high hydrostatic pressure

The aim of this work was to develop a high-pressure decontamination and sterilization process for pharmaceutical treatments as was developed in food processing in the late eighties. The lack of normalized biological indicators able to validate sterilizing treatments under high pressure led us to select representative pathogenic strains from flora and the European Pharmacopoeia. We selected the following four bacterial strains: Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), Psuedomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027), spores of Aspergillus niger (ATCC 16404) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538).

This present study is focussed on S. aureus. Successive pressurization and depressurization cycles appeared to be more efficient than a continuous high-pressure treatment. Importantly, these pressure conditions, temperature and process duration are perfectly compatible with current industrial plants. These results show that HHP technology is a new alternative to inactivate pathogenic strains in accordance with pharmaceutical requirements.     

Effect of high hydrostatic pressure on to life of the tiny animal tardigrade

Terrestrial tardigrade is known to show very strong anti-environmental character at a dehydrated state called “tun” state. It was reported to be alive after exposed to the hydrostatic pressure of 0.6 GPa, which was almost twice higher than the limit for most bacteria and multi-organisms. However, the limit of the hydrostatic pressure above which tardigrades cannot survive is unknown. We performed an experiment to put tardigrades into high hydrostatic pressure of 7.5 GPa, more than 10-times higher than investigated so far, and convinced that they can survive after exposure to 7.5 GPa for up to 12 h.