Two-Dimensional Protein Profiles and Fatty-Acid Compositions in Coccoid Forms of Campylobacter jejuni

Abstract

It is generally known that campylobacter cells are transformed from the normal spiral form into a coccoid form under unfavourable conditions (Fig. 1). This coccoid form, which is evident at both growth and environmental temperatures,⁸ is not culturable using available techniques. However, it may play a role in survival of campylobacters during the contamination cycle comparable to the situation in Vibrio, Salmonella, Legionella and Shigella species for which transformations to a viable nonculturable form and reversions have been described.⁵ The transition to the nonculturable coccoid form in C. jejuni is influenced by temperature and medium composition² and occurs above and below the minimum growth temperature of 32°C.⁸ To explore whether formation of cocci is an active process, both protein profiles and fatty-acid compositions of spirals and cocci formed at 4°C and 25°C were compared and the effects of protein synthesis inhibition and DNA damage were determined.