DESCRIZIONE
As filter-feeders, bivalve molluscs accumulate Vibrio and Arcobacter into edible tissues, these are considered as emerging food borne pathogens. Consequently, an accurate assessment of the resident Vibrio and Arcobacter communities in shellfish represents a key issue to guarantee food safety in shellfish products. The present project will investigate changes in the natural microbial community composition of the Ruditapes
philippinarum microbiota with specific focus on human pathogenic species. The project will be divided in two principal Task activities: 1) A retrospective study on Vibrio and Arcobacter populations from different production sites. 2) A trial on Vibrio colonization inside a real depuration plant. With the aim of this concern, TASK1 will investigate the dynamics of Vibrio/Arcobacter communities inside samples from different origins
(before and after depuration). Moreover, the colonization of depuration plants by Vibrio species will be explore in an experimental depuration model (TASK2).
TASK 1. In order to define the complete Vibrio community at strain level and Arcobacter at species level a shotgun metagenomics approach will be applied on samples from different origin. For the Arcobacters, project TASK will be a deeper genetic characterization of strains isolated from clams.
TASK2. This task will Evaluate of the microbial community inside Biofilms on the surfaces of the depuration plant and their contribution to the maintenance of Vibrio in this environment. One of the main goals of this activity is also the definition of several factors (co-depuration and biofilm)in the spread and maintenance of vibrio communities inside a depuration plant.
POSSIBILI VANTAGGI DERIVANTI DAL SUO UTILIZZO
Sintesi delle principali attività chiave innovative
• definizione del microbiota associato ai molluschi mediante metodi innovativi come il sequenziamento dell'intero genoma e la metagenomica.
• Studio dell'evoluzione della popolazione di vibrioni
• Il miglioramento dei metodi di analisi per la rilevazione dei Vibrio e studio di patogeni emergenti come Arcobacter.
• L'identificazione delle vie di contaminazione da vibrioni fornirà informazioni adeguate a risolvere questo problema all'interno degli impianti di depurazione.
• Gli approcci genomici chiariranno se l'Arcobacter isolato dai Molluschi rappresenta un serio pericolo per l'uomo.