Abstract
3-Carene is an antimicrobial monoterpene that occurs naturally in a variety of plants and has an ambiguous antibacterial mechanism against food-borne germs. The antibacterial effects and action mechanism of 3-carene against Gram-positive Brochothrix thermosphacta ACCC 03870 and Gram-negative Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 13525 were studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination and leakage of alkaline phosphatase (AKP) verified that 3-carene caused more obvious damage to the morphology and wall structure of B. thermosphacta than P. fluorescens. The release of potassium ions and proteins, the reduction in membrane potential (MP), and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) staining further confirmed that the loss of the barrier function of the cell membrane and the leakage of cytoplasmic contents were due to the 3-carene treatment. Furthermore, the disorder of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), pyruvate kinase (PK), and ATP content indicated that 3-carene could lead to metabolic dysfunction and inhibit energy synthesis. In addition, the results from the fluorescence analysis revealed that 3-carene could probably bind to bacterial DNA and affect the conformation and structure of genomic DNA. These results revealed that 3-carene had strong antibacterial activity against B. thermosphacta and P. fluorescens via membrane damage, bacterial metabolic perturbations, and genomic DNA structure disruption, interfering in cellular functions and even causing cell death.
Highlights
Food spoilage is caused by microorganisms that produce unpleasant sensory effects through various metabolic activities [1]
The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3-carene against B. thermosphacta and P. fluorescens was determined by the agar dilution method
Lizandra et al [30] identified that 3-carene theand main chemical constituent of essential oil of against
Summary
Food spoilage is caused by microorganisms that produce unpleasant sensory effects through various metabolic activities [1]. Food contamination caused by facultative pathogens is a serious challenge in the food industry [2]. Brochothrix thermosphacta are Gram-positive and facultative anaerobic bacteria that can cause spoilage in chilled meat and seafood products [3]. Jiang et al [4] showed that. B. thermosphacta are the dominant spoilage bacteria in vacuum-packed pork during chilled storage due to the fact of its facultative anaerobic and psychrophilic features, leading to corruption and deterioration. Pseudomonas fluorescens are Gram-negative bactera and are commonly found in cold meat, seafood, and dairy products and can cause serious diseases such as septicemia, septic shock, and intravascular coagulation [5,6,7].
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