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Thomas J. Montville

Bio: Thomas J. Montville is an academic researcher from Rutgers University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Nisin & Bacteriocin. The author has an hindex of 44, co-authored 126 publications receiving 9407 citations. Previous affiliations of Thomas J. Montville include New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station & United States Department of Agriculture.


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Book
01 Jan 2013
TL;DR: Factors of Special Significance to food Microbiology Microbial Spoilage of Foods Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria Mycotoxigenic Molds Viruses Foodborne and Waterborne Parasites Preservatives and Preservation Methods Food Fermentations Advanced Techniques in Food Microbiology Index are listed.
Abstract: Factors of Special Significance to Food Microbiology Microbial Spoilage of Foods Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria Mycotoxigenic Molds Viruses Foodborne and Waterborne Parasites Preservatives and Preservation Methods Food Fermentations Advanced Techniques in Food Microbiology Index

1,872 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Toxicity data exist for only a few bacteriocins, but research and their long-time intentional use strongly suggest that bacteriOCins can be safely used.

1,782 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Ten strains of bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria were isolated from retail cuts of meat and the proteinaceous nature of the inhibitory substance was confirmed by demonstration of its sensitivity to proteolytic enzymes.
Abstract: Ten strains of bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria were isolated from retail cuts of meat. These 10 strains along with 11 other bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria were tested for inhibitory activity against psychotrophic pathogens, including four strains of Listeria monocytogenes, two strains of Aeromonas hydrophila, and two strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Inhibition due to acid, hydrogen peroxide, and lytic bacteriophage were excluded. The proteinaceous nature of the inhibitory substance was confirmed by demonstration of its sensitivity to proteolytic enzymes. Eight of the meat isolates had inhibitory activity against all four L. monocytogenes strains. Bacteriocin activity against L. monocytogenes was found in all of the strains obtained from other sources. Activity against A. hydrophila and S. aureus was also common.

394 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This study is the first to quantify the phosphatidylethanolamine component of the L. monocytogenes cytoplasmic membrane, and showed altered sensitivities to cell wall-acting compounds, even when grown in the absence of nisin, suggesting a constitutive alteration in the strain's cell wall.
Abstract: Nisin resistance in Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 700302 is a complex phenotype involving alterations in both the cytoplasmic membrane and the cell wall and a requirement for divalent cations. In addition to a lower ratio of C15 to C17 fatty acids than in the wild-type strain (A. S. Mazzotta and T. J. Montville, J. Appl. Microbiol. 82:32–38, 1997), this nisin-resistant (Nisr) strain contained significantly more zwitterionic phosphatidylethanolamine and less anionic phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin. The extraction of cardiolipin was enhanced by a penicillin-lysozyme step to disrupt the cell wall. This study is the first to quantify the phosphatidylethanolamine component of the L. monocytogenes cytoplasmic membrane. While these cytoplasmic membrane changes were induced by nisin, the Nisr strain also showed altered sensitivities to cell wall-acting compounds, even when grown in the absence of nisin, suggesting a constitutive alteration in the strain’s cell wall. A model which integrates the roles of the cell membrane, cell wall, and divalent cations is presented. Finally, nisin resistance in L. monocytogenes ATCC 700302 conferred cross-resistance to the class IIa bacteriocin pediocin PA-1 and the class IV leuconocin S.

279 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review focuses on the current knowledge of the mechanistic action of nisin and pediocin-like bacteriocins, the requirement for a cell factor such as a membrane protein, the influence of membrane potential, pH, and lipid composition on the of specificity and efficacy of bacteriOCins, and the roles of specific amino acids and structural domains of the bacteriocoins in their action.
Abstract: Nisin and pediocin PA-1 are examples of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that have found practical applications as food preservatives. Like other natural antimicrobial peptides, LAB bacteriocins act primarily at the cytoplasmic membranes of susceptible microorganisms. Studies with in vivo as well as in␣vitro membrane systems are directed toward understanding how bacteriocins interact with membranes so as to provide a mechanistic basis for their rational applications. The dissipation of proton motive force was identified early on as the common mechanism for the lethal activity of LAB bacteriocin. Models for nisin/membrane interactions propose that the peptide forms poration complexes in the membrane through a multi-step process of binding, insertion, and pore formation. This review focuses on the current knowledge of: (1) the mechanistic action of nisin and pediocin-like bacteriocins, (2) the requirement for a cell factor such as a membrane protein, (3) the influence of membrane potential, pH, and lipid composition on the of specificity and efficacy of bacteriocins, and (4) the roles of specific amino acids and structural domains of the bacteriocins in their action.

205 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
Sara A. Burt1
TL;DR: In vitro studies have demonstrated antibacterial activity of essential oils (EOs) against Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella dysenteria, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus at levels between 0.2 and 10 microl ml(-1).

9,091 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of antibiotic resistance development over the past half-century can be found in this article, with the oft-restated conclusion that it is time to act and to restore the therapeutic applications of antibiotics.
Abstract: Antibiotics have always been considered one of the wonder discoveries of the 20th century. This is true, but the real wonder is the rise of antibiotic resistance in hospitals, communities, and the environment concomitant with their use. The extraordinary genetic capacities of microbes have benefitted from man's overuse of antibiotics to exploit every source of resistance genes and every means of horizontal gene transmission to develop multiple mechanisms of resistance for each and every antibiotic introduced into practice clinically, agriculturally, or otherwise. This review presents the salient aspects of antibiotic resistance development over the past half-century, with the oft-restated conclusion that it is time to act. To achieve complete restitution of therapeutic applications of antibiotics, there is a need for more information on the role of environmental microbiomes in the rise of antibiotic resistance. In particular, creative approaches to the discovery of novel antibiotics and their expedited and controlled introduction to therapy are obligatory.

4,364 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A group of antibacterial proteins produced by gram-positive bacteria have attracted great interest in their potential use as food preservatives and as antibacterial agents to combat certain infections due to gram- positive pathogenic bacteria.

2,819 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review describes the state of the art of probiotic research in the culture of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and live food, with an evaluation of the results obtained so far.
Abstract: There is an urgent need in aquaculture to develop microbial control strategies, since disease outbreaks are recognized as important constraints to aquaculture production and trade and since the development of antibiotic resistance has become a matter of growing concern. One of the alternatives to antimicrobials in disease control could be the use of probiotic bacteria as microbial control agents. This review describes the state of the art of probiotic research in the culture of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and live food, with an evaluation of the results obtained so far. A new definition of probiotics, also applicable to aquatic environments, is proposed, and a detailed description is given of their possible modes of action, i.e., production of compounds that are inhibitory toward pathogens, competition with harmful microorganisms for nutrients and energy, competition with deleterious species for adhesion sites, enhancement of the immune response of the animal, improvement of water quality, and interaction with phytoplankton. A rationale is proposed for the multistep and multidisciplinary process required for the development of effective and safe probiotics for commercial application in aquaculture. Finally, directions for further research are discussed.

2,072 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Bacteriocins are bacterially produced antimicrobial peptides with narrow or broad host ranges that can be used to confer a rudimentary form of innate immunity to foodstuffs, helping processors extend their control over the food flora long after manufacture.
Abstract: Bacteriocins are bacterially produced antimicrobial peptides with narrow or broad host ranges. Many bacteriocins are produced by food-grade lactic acid bacteria, a phenomenon which offers food scientists the possibility of directing or preventing the development of specific bacterial species in food. This can be particularly useful in preservation or food safety applications, but also has implications for the development of desirable flora in fermented food. In this sense, bacteriocins can be used to confer a rudimentary form of innate immunity to foodstuffs, helping processors extend their control over the food flora long after manufacture.

2,051 citations