Physicochemical surface properties of five Listeria monocytogenes strains from a pork-processing environment in relation to serotypes, genotypes and growth temperature.

Physicochemical surface properties, related to electrostatic, van der Waals and Lewis acid-base interactions, of five Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from pork-processing environments were determined after two subcultures at 37 degrees C and a final culture at three temperatures: 37, 10 and 4 degrees C. Three strains (Lm1, Lm114 and Lm191) were genetically related while two were unrelated (Lm25 and Lm74) according to ApaI-macrorestriction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing. Listeria monocytogenes cell surfaces were generally negatively charged regardless of pH and tended to be hydrophilic due to a basic character. However, variable physicochemical surface properties of the five Listeria monocytogenes isolates were observed after growth at 37 degrees C. After growth at 10 degrees C, the three genetically related isolates exhibited similar surface properties and were slightly more hydrophilic and basic than the others. After growth at 4 degrees C, the five isolates displayed the same weak affinity for all kinds of solvents and low electrophoretic mobility values. A sharp decrease of temperature and subsequent growth of various Listeria monocytogenes strains resulted in loss of the physicochemical surface property variability, which may suggest the role of common chill adaptation mechanisms affecting surface properties.