多重实时荧光定量PCR快速检测婴幼儿奶粉中沙门氏菌、克罗诺杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌

目的建立多重实时荧光定量PCR(multiplex quantitative real-time PCR,multiplex qPCR)快速检测奶粉中金黄色葡萄球菌、沙门氏菌和克罗诺杆菌3种常见致病菌的方法。方法筛选目标菌株的特异性引物与探针,优化反应体系,建立稳定的多重q PCR反应体系。通过阳性菌株加标的方式验证体系的特异性,并确定人工污染奶粉的检出限。结果各对引物探针对目标菌株均能扩增,多重实时荧光PCR未发现交叉反应,对17株非目标菌进行检测均未检出,人工污染奶粉中克罗诺杆菌和沙门氏菌的检出限均为10~3 CFU/mL,金黄色葡萄球菌的检出限为10~4 CFU/mL。结论本研究方法可实现婴幼儿奶粉样品中3种致病菌qPCR高效率检测。     

Evaluation of molecular methods for the detection of Brucella species in water buffalo milk

Brucellosis is a highly infectious disease affecting both animals and humans. The current standard tools for the diagnosis of this bacterial infection are serological and microbiological. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of molecular assays as diagnostic tools for the detection of Brucella spp. in water buffalo milk. For this purpose, we first compared different DNA extraction protocols and PCR methods on artificially spiked milk samples. The most sensitive methods were then used to examine milk from serologically positive and negative water buffaloes. Molecular results were compared with serological and bacteriological test results. Milk samples from 53 Brucella seropositive buffaloes (by either rose Bengal or complement fixation test) were positive by ELISA, 37 were positive by culture, 33 were positive by PCR, and 35 were positive by real-time PCR. Of the 37 culture-positive samples, a total of 25 and 26 were positive by PCR and real-time PCR, respectively. Of the 16 culture-negative samples, 8 were positive by PCR and 9 by real-time PCR. Thus, although culture showed greater sensitivity than PCR, some animals found positive by serological methods and PCR tested negative by milk culture. The combined use of bacteriological and molecular tools increased the number of positive samples to 46. In conclusion, these results suggest that the simultaneous application of these 2 direct detection methods (culture and PCR) could be more useful than one test alone for the diagnosis of Brucella spp. in buffalo milk.     

Vitamin B12 and its binding proteins in milk from cow and buffalo in relation to bioavailability of B12

Milk is an important source of highly bioavailable vitamin B₁₂ (cobalamin) in human nutrition. In most animal products, vitamin B₁₂ is strongly bound to various specific protein carriers. The 2 vitamin B₁₂-specific proteins, predominantly transcobalamin (TC) and haptocorrin (HC), were earlier found in milk from Holstein Friesian cows and in human or sow milk, respectively. As the type of vitamin B₁₂ binders may influence bioavailability of the vitamin, we examined vitamin B₁₂ carriers in pooled milk specimens derived from European and Indian cow and buffalo herds. The total endogenous vitamin B₁₂ concentration was comparable in all milk pools (≈3 nM), but the vitamin carriers varied considerably: TC + caseins in Danish cows, TC + HC in Indian cows and buffaloes, and mainly HC in Italian buffaloes. Danish cow milk contained half as much TC as vitamin B₁₂, and the surplus vitamin was all attached via a single coordination bond to abundantly available histidine residues of casein. The specific binding proteins in Indian cow milk (TC + HC) approximately matched the molar content of vitamin B₁₂. Milk from the 2 buffalo breeds contained more specific binders than vitamin B₁₂, and the surplus proteins included the unsaturated TC ≈ 3 nM (Indian stock), or both TC ≈ 4 nM and HC ≈ 23 nM (Italian stock). The abundant HC of the latter sample bound nearly all endogenous vitamin B₁₂. We tested (in vitro) the transfer of vitamin B₁₂ from milk proteins to human carriers, involved in the intestinal uptake. The bovine TC-vitamin B₁₂ complex rapidly dissociated at pH 2 (time of half reaction, τ_1/2 < 1 min, 37°C) and was susceptible to digestion with trypsin + chymotrypsin (pH 7.5). Transfer of vitamin B₁₂ from the precipitated bovine casein (pH 2) to human carriers proceeded with τ_1/2 ≈ 7 min (37°C) and τ_1/2 ≈ 35 min (20°C). Liberation of vitamin B₁₂ from buffalo HC was hampered because of its pH stability and slow proteolysis. Nutritional availability of vitamin B₁₂ is expected to be high in cow milk (with TC-vitamin B₁₂ and casein-vitamin B₁₂ complexes) but potentially constrained in buffalo milk (with HC-vitamin B₁₂). This especially concerns the Italian buffalo milk, where a high excess of HC was found. We speculate whether the isolated stock of Italian buffalo maintained the ancestral secretion of carriers (HC ≫ vitamin B₁₂, TC ≈ 0), whereas intensive crossbreeding of cows and buffaloes from other regions caused a change to TC ≤ vitamin B₁₂, with low or absent HC. The substitution of HC by less sturdy carriers is apparently more beneficial to human consumers as far as vitamin B₁₂ bioavailability is concerned.     

Detection of buffalo milk adulteration with cow milk by capillary electrophoresis analysis

The addition of cow milk during the production of buffalo mozzarella is a common fraud in dairy industries because of the lower price and greater availability of cow milk throughout the year. The aim of this study was to develop a new, rapid, and robust capillary electrophoresis method for detecting and quantifying cow milk in buffalo milk by exploiting cow α-lactalbumin as a marker of adulteration. In particular, a linear calibration curve was generated, using a training set of calibrators consisting of 7 series of 17 buffalo/bovine whey mixtures, obtained after casein precipitation, with increasing percentages of cow whey. The capillary electrophoresis method showed high linearity (R² = 0.968), repeatability [relative standard deviation (RSD) = 2.11, 3.02, 4.38, and 1.18%, respectively for 5, 10, 20, and 50% of buffalo/bovine whey mixtures], and intermediate precision (RSD = 2.18, 2.49, 5.09, and 3.19%, respectively, for 5, 10, 20, and 50% buffalo/bovine whey mixtures). Moreover, the minimum amount of detectable fraudulent cow milk was 1%, and the limit of quantification was 3.1%.     

Aflatoxin M1 in buffalo and cow milk in Afyonkarahisar,Turkey

Potential hazardous human exposure to aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁) via consumption of milk and milk products has been demonstrated by many researchers. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of this mycotoxin in buffalo and cow milk samples in the city of Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. For this purpose, 126 buffalo and 124 cow milk samples were collected from dairy farms in Afyonkarahisar province. AFM₁ levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection. Although AFM₁ was not detected in cow milk samples, AFM₁ was found above the limit of detection (<0.008–0.032 µg/L) in 27% (34 out of 126) of the buffalo milk samples. The results of this study indicated the importance of continuous surveillance of commonly consumed milk or milk product samples for AFM₁ contamination in Turkey.     

Vancomycin-modified poly-l-lysine magnetic separation combined with multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for efficient detection of Bacillus cereus in milk

In this study, a new vancomycin (Van)-modified poly-l-lysine (PLL) magnetic bead (MB) technique was developed for isolation of gram-positive bacteria. The method combines magnetic separation with a multiplex PCR (mPCR) assay and gel electrophoresis for easy and rapid detection of Bacillus cereus. Vancomycin was used as a molecular ligand between the MB and the d-alanyl-d-alanine moieties on the cell wall surface of B. cereus. The PLL served as a flexible molecular tether between the MB and Van that reduced steric hindrance maintaining the biological activity of Van. The MB-PLL-Van capture nanoprobes exhibited excellent capture and isolation efficiency for B. cereus in spiked milk matrix samples without interference from the complex food matrix. The subsequent mPCR assay showed high specificity for the 4 target genes in B. cereus, the entFM, cesB, cer, and 16S rRNA genes, that were used to achieve efficient genotyping and detection. Under optimum conditions, the limit of detection reached 10³ cfu/mL, with a dynamic range of detection at 10³ to 10⁷ cfu/mL in pure culture. Application of the MB-PLL-Van mediated mPCR assay for B. cereus in milk matrix samples achieved results similar to those of the pure culture. In addition, with a 6-h pre-enrichment of B. cereus that was spiked in milk matrix samples, the limit of detection reached 10¹ cfu/mL. The MB-PLL-Van mediated mPCR assay developed in this study could be used as a universal technology platform for the efficient enrichment and genotyping of gram-positive bacteria.     

Characterisation and comparison of khoa prepared from camel milk with that from cow and buffalo milk

Khoa, a heat‐concentrated milk product, is used as a base material for the manufacture of many popular sweets. The comparison was made between various chemical compositions and characteristics of the khoa prepared from the camel milk with that prepared from the cow and the buffalo milk samples. The khoa prepared from the camel milk had the higher moisture, ash, acidity, soluble nitrogen, free fatty acids and peroxide value, but lower in fat, protein and lactose contents than that prepared from the cow and buffalo milk samples. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in 5‐hydroxymethyl furfural between khoa samples prepared from the three milks.     

Simultaneous detection of mastitis pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus uberis, and Streptococcus agalactiae by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction

The objective of this study was to develop a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for simultaneous detection of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus uberis directly from milk. A genetic marker specific for Staph. aureus was used for primers and dual-labeled probe design. The target for Strep. agalactiae primers and dual-labeled probe was selected from the cfb gene encoding the Christie-Atkins-Munch-Petersen factor. The plasminogen activator gene was the target for primers and dual-labeled probe design for Strep. uberis. Quarter milk samples (n = 192) were analyzed by the multiplex real-time PCR assay and conventional microbiological methods. An additional 57 quarter milk samples were analyzed in a separate real-time PCR assay for Strep. agalactiae only. Using an overnight enrichment step, the real-time PCR technique correctly identified 96.4% of all quarter milk samples; 91.7% of Staph. aureus, 98.2% of Strep. agalactiae, and 100% of Strep. uberis. Results of conventional microbiological methods were used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the multiplex real-time PCR procedure. The sensitivity of the procedure to correctly identify Staph. aureus, Strep. agalactiae, and Strep. uberis directly from milk was 95.5%, and the specificity was 99.6%. Results of this study indicate that the multiplex real-time PCR procedure has the potential to be a valuable diagnostic technique for simultaneous identification of Staph. aureus, Strep. agalactiae, and Strep. uberis directly from quarter milk samples.     

食品中3种致病菌多重PCR检测方法的建立及初步应用

建立用多重聚合酶链式反应(Multiplex polymerase chain reaction,mPCR)同时检测食品中沙门氏菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和单核细胞增生性李斯特菌的方法。以沙门氏菌的gyrB基因、单核细胞增生性李斯特菌的gyrB基因、金黄色葡萄球菌的coa基因作为目的基因,分别设计3对引物,通过优化反应体系,建立3种致病菌的多重PCR检测体系。采用单重PCR检测时,灵敏度可达0.423ng/mL(沙门氏菌)、2.5ng/mL(金黄色葡萄球菌)和0.36ng/mL(单核细胞增生性李斯特菌);而采用三重PCR检测时,灵敏度较单重PCR有所下降,分别为2.43ng/mL(沙门氏菌)、2.5ng/mL(金黄色葡萄球菌)、3.6ng/mL(单核细胞增生性李斯特菌)。初步建立能同时、快速、灵敏地检测食品中沙门氏菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和单核细胞增生性李斯特菌的三重PCR方法。     

Rapid detection of cows' milk in sheeps' and goats' milk by a species-specific polymerase chain reaction technique

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for the specific identification of cows' milk in sheep's and goats' milk by using primers targeting the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. The use of a forward primer complementary to a conserved DNA sequence, along with a reverse primer specific for cow, yielded a 223-bp fragment from cows' milk DNA, whereas no amplification signal was obtained in sheep's and goats' milk DNA. The technique was applied to raw, pasteurized, and sterilized milk binary mixtures of cow-sheep and cow-goat, enabling the specific detection of cows' milk with a good sensitivity threshold (0.1%). The proposed PCR assay represents a rapid and straightforward method applicable to the authentication of milk and other dairy products in routine analysis.     

鸡源细菌中5种四环素耐药基因多重PCR检测方法的建立

为建立一种同步检测鸡源细菌中5种四环素耐药基因tetA、tetD、tetG、tetS和tetX的多重聚合酶链式反应(PCR)方法,优化了多重PCR体系的引物和Taq DNA聚合酶浓度及退火温度等参数,并考察了方法的灵敏度、特异性和适用性。建立的多重PCR反应技术的最佳反应体系为:混合DNA模板5μL,Taq酶1μL,tetA和tetX的正反向引物各0.5μL,tetG、tetD和tetS的正反向引物各1.0μL,dNTP4μL,MgCl24μL,10×PCR反应缓冲液5μL,最终用dd H2O补齐至50μL;反应程序为:95℃预变性5min;95℃变性30s,55℃退火30s,72℃延伸1min,35个循环;72℃延伸10min。该方法的灵敏度为102 CFU/mL,且能广谱地检测多种鸡源细菌中的5种四环素耐药基因。与传统的单重PCR方法相比,该多重PCR技术快速高效、适用性广。     

多重实时荧光定量PCR同时检测冷冻蔬菜中4种食源性致病菌

目的 建立一种基于TaqMan探针的多重实时荧光定量PCR(multiplex quantitative real-time PCR, multiplex qPCR)同时检测冷冻蔬菜中4种食源性致病菌的方法。方法 针对金黄色葡萄球菌nuc基因、痢疾志贺菌rfc基因、沙门氏菌invA基因、单增李斯特氏菌hly基因, 设计4对引物和探针, 优化反应体系, 建立稳定的多重qPCR反应体系。通过阳性菌株污染的方法验证体系的特异性, 并确定了冷冻蔬菜样品在细菌水平的检出限。结果 各对引物和探针对目标菌有较强的特异性, 对其他非目标菌进行检测均未检出, 人工污染冷冻蔬菜中志贺菌的检出限为102 CFU/g, 沙门氏菌和单增李斯特氏菌的检出限均为103 CFU/g, 金黄色葡萄球菌的检出限为104 CFU/g。结论 本研究可以实现冷冻蔬菜样品中4种致病菌qPCR高效检测。     

Simultaneous detection of cow and buffalo milk in mozzarella cheese by Real-Time PCR assay

A Real-Time PCR Allelic Discrimination TaqMan assay based on the analysis of one diagnosis position enabling the identification of cows’ and buffalo milk in dairy products was developed. Specific primers and probes were designed on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. In particular, primers were designed upstream and downstream the chosen diagnosis site in a well conserved region for both Bos taurus and Bubalus bubalis. Two probes were designed to specifically hybridise to B. taurus and B. bubalis sequences.     

Simultaneous quantitative detection of viable Escherichia coli O157:H7, Cronobacter spp., and Salmonella spp. using sodium deoxycholate-propidium monoazide with multiplex real-time PCR

Escherichia coli O157:H7, Cronobacter spp., and Salmonella spp. are common food-borne pathogens in milk that may cause serious diseases. In the present study, we established a simple, rapid, and specific method to simultaneously detect viable E. coli O157:H7, Cronobacter spp., and Salmonella spp. in milk. Three specific genes, fliC from E. coli O157:H7, cgcA from Cronobacter spp., and invA from Salmonella spp., were selected and used to design primers and probes. False-positive results were eliminated with the use of a combined sodium deoxycholate (SD) and propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment. Using the optimized parameters, this SD-PMA treatment combined with multiplex real-time PCR (SD-PMA-mRT-PCR) detected E. coli O157:H7, Cronobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. respectively, at 10² cfu/mL in pure culture or artificially spiked skim milk samples. A reasonable recovery rate (from 100 to 107%) for detection of viable bacteria using the SD-PMA-mRT-PCR assay was obtained in the presence of dead bacteria at 10⁷ cfu/mL. The SD-PMA-mRT-PCR method developed in this study can accurately detect and monitor combined contamination with E. coli O157:H7, Cronobacter spp., and Salmonella spp. in milk and milk products.     

The prevalence and characterization of Bacillus cereus isolated from raw and pasteurized buffalo milk in southwestern China

Bacillus cereus is an important food-borne pathogenic bacteria and a putrid microorganism in the dairy industry. Raw and pasteurized buffalo milk play important roles in the dairy market in southwestern China. However, the reports on the prevalence and characterization of B. cereus strains isolated from the above sources are lacking. In this study, 150 raw buffalo milk samples and 300 pasteurized buffalo milk samples were collected from 3 provinces in southwestern China. The genotype, virulence gene distribution, antibiotic resistance, and biofilm-forming ability of isolates were analyzed. Ninety-six B. cereus strains were isolated and identified: 50 isolates (33.3%) from buffalo raw milk and 46 isolates (15.3%) from pasteurized buffalo milk. These strains were classified into 41 sequence types (ST) and 5 groups, of which ST857 was the predominant ST. The detection rates of virulence genes nheABC cluster, hblACD cluster, cytK, bceT, entFM, hlyII, and cesB were 89.6%, 13.5%, 64.6%, 71.9%, 84.4%, 62.5%, and 6.25%, respectively. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that more than 90% of the isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, vancomycin, and tetracycline, as well as resistant to ampicillin, cefepime, oxacillin, and rifampin. The results of biomass biofilm evaluation of the isolates on the stainless-steel tube showed that the optical density values at a wavelength of 595 nm of all strains in group I were greater than 1, with the strongest overall biofilm-forming ability among 5 groups, and the overall biofilm-forming ability of group III was the weakest. There was a relationship between the biofilm-forming ability and phylogenetic relationship of B. cereus strains. Taken together, our findings are the first to report the contamination situation and characterization of B. cereus isolated from raw and pasteurized buffalo milk in southwestern China as well as indicate the potential risk posed by this pathogen to dairy industry and public health.     

Two-step large-volume magnetic separation combined with PCR assay for sensitive detection of Listeria monocytogenes in pasteurized milk

Immunomagnetic separation (IMS) is an effective tool for the preconcentration and purification of food-borne pathogens from complex food samples because of its high capture efficiency (CE). In conventional IMS, antibodies are usually conjugated on the surface of magnetic beads (MB); the random orientation and conformation changes of antibodies on the MB surface can decrease their bioactivity. Moreover, the Brownian motion of immobilized antibodies is weakened, thereby rendering their binding efficiency with bacteria lower than that of free antibodies. Thus, abundant antibodies are commonly required to ensure high CE for IMS, particularly for large volumes. In this study, a 2-step large-volume magnetic separation (10 mL) was proposed to preconcentrate Listeria monocytogenes from pasteurized milk. First, the biotinylated anti-L. monocytogenes monoclonal antibodies (mAb) were bound with L. monocytogenes in 10 mL of diluted milk through an antigen-antibody interaction, and then streptavidin-labeled MB were used to capture biotin-mAb coated with L. monocytogenes by biotin and streptavidin interaction. Under optimal conditions, the CE of 2-step magnetic separation was >90% with L. monocytogenes concentrations ranging from 8 × 10⁰ to 8 × 10⁴ cfu/mL, whereas the amount of biotin-mAb was 14 fold lower than that of the conventional IMS method. Coupled with a PCR assay, the detection limit of the proposed method was 8 × 10⁰ cfu/mL in pure culture and 8 × 10¹ cfu/mL in pasteurized milk without any pre-enrichment process. Moreover, the overall detection time, including sample preparation, large-volume magnetic separation, and PCR, took less than 7 h. In summary, the developed 2-step large-volume IMS combined with PCR was highly sensitive and low cost and, thus, has considerable potential for the rapid screening of food-borne pathogenic bacteria.     

Development of a new real-time quantitative PCR assay for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus genotype B in cow milk,targeting the new gene adlb

The specific and reliable diagnosis of mastitis pathogens is essential for successful sanitation programs. The aim of the present study was to develop and evaluate a new real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for the very sensitive and specific detection of Staphylococcus aureus genotype B in cow milk samples. This mastitis pathogen is contagious and particularly prevalent in Switzerland and other central European countries. The new test is based on a rapid preparation of bacteria, followed by DNA isolation and qPCR for a unique target gene coding for the adhesion-like bovine protein (adlb). The inclusivity of the new target gene was 97% and the exclusivity 98%, meaning that other genotypes and bacterial species could be excluded with high reliability. The limit of detection of the new assay was 235 staphylococcal cell equivalents/mL of culture. The new test shows high intra- and interassay repeatability. Results are available within 2 d after sampling, allowing farmers and veterinarians to apply sanitation measures immediately. Based on the results of a preliminary field study, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the new qPCR assay are 99 and 100%, respectively. The new analytical procedure is straightforward and can be applied for routine diagnostics.