Project description:A screening process was used to determine hyperosmotic as well as cold stress tolerance of a diverse set of Listeria monocytogenes strains and was based on the capacity to grow at sub lethal levels of NaCl and 4°C. Analysis of gene expression in cells adapted to cold and hyperosmotic stress revealed significant strain specificity in terms of individual gene expression profiles though general patterns of expression within functional gene subsets were largely similar. . Strain ATCC19115 revealed 150 significantly up- and 146 down-regulated genes in cells adapted to both hyperosmotic and cold stress, 82 up- and 56 down-regulated genes were matching in response to both stresses in strain 70-1700, whereas ScottA, a relatively stress-tolerant strain, showed up-regulation of 77 genes whilst 106 genes were significantly down-regulated. Among these homologously expressed genes only 22 were found to be significantly up-regulated and only 7 were down-regulated in all three strains adapted to hyperosmotic stress and cold temperature, suggesting a dominating strain specific response. Overall adaptation to hyperosmotic and low temperature growth conditions in three L. monocytogenes strains were found to have many parallels, especially when examined using a statistically-based ontological approach. Evidence was presented for strong activation of genes associated with protein synthesis, in particular those coding proteins of the ribosome and involved directly in transcription. Genes associated with DNA maintenance; modification to cell envelope, and cell division were also up-regulated. On the other hand strong suppression of genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism and transport as well as flagella assembly was evident in stress adapted cells most likely due to energy preservation via CodY regulon. This suggests that adaptation to these adverse conditions engages similar mechanisms to cope with the induced stressful environments. The microarray component of the experiments had the aim of determining: i) To examine the gene expression responses of three L. monocytogenes strains that had different intrinsic salt resistances following adaptation to hyperosmotic stress. ii) To examine the gene expression responses of three L. monocytogenes strains that had different intrinsic cold tolerances following adaptation to cold stress. iii) To evaluate common pathways of adaptation to hyperosmotic and cold stresses

Project description:A screening process was used to determine hyperosmotic as well as cold stress tolerance of a diverse set of Listeria monocytogenes strains and was based on the capacity to grow at sub lethal levels of NaCl and 4M-BM-0C. Analysis of gene expression in cells adapted to cold and hyperosmotic stress revealed significant strain specificity in terms of individual gene expression profiles though general patterns of expression within functional gene subsets were largely similar. . Strain ATCC19115 revealed 150 significantly up- and 146 down-regulated genes in cells adapted to both hyperosmotic and cold stress, 82 up- and 56 down-regulated genes were matching in response to both stresses in strain 70-1700, whereas ScottA, a relatively stress-tolerant strain, showed up-regulation of 77 genes whilst 106 genes were significantly down-regulated. Among these homologously expressed genes only 22 were found to be significantly up-regulated and only 7 were down-regulated in all three strains adapted to hyperosmotic stress and cold temperature, suggesting a dominating strain specific response. Overall adaptation to hyperosmotic and low temperature growth conditions in three L. monocytogenes strains were found to have many parallels, especially when examined using a statistically-based ontological approach. Evidence was presented for strong activation of genes associated with protein synthesis, in particular those coding proteins of the ribosome and involved directly in transcription. Genes associated with DNA maintenance; modification to cell envelope, and cell division were also up-regulated. On the other hand strong suppression of genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism and transport as well as flagella assembly was evident in stress adapted cells most likely due to energy preservation via CodY regulon. This suggests that adaptation to these adverse conditions engages similar mechanisms to cope with the induced stressful environments. The microarray component of the experiments had the aim of determining: i) To examine the gene expression responses of three L. monocytogenes strains that had different intrinsic salt resistances following adaptation to hyperosmotic stress. ii) To examine the gene expression responses of three L. monocytogenes strains that had different intrinsic cold tolerances following adaptation to cold stress. iii) To evaluate common pathways of adaptation to hyperosmotic and cold stresses Control cultures (four biological replicates; exception strain ATCC19115 for the 10%NaCl stress which had three biological replicates) were labeled with Cy3 (exception strain ATCC19115 for the 10%NaCl-3 dyeswapped, where the control was labeled with Cy5 and sample with Cy3) for each treatment sample for three different L. monocytogenes strains. Sample cultures (four biological replicates; exception strain ATCC19115 for the 10%NaCl which had three biological replicates) were labeled with Cy5 (exception strain ATCC19115 for the 10%NaCl-3 dyeswapped, where the control was labeled with Cy5 and sample with Cy3) for each treatment sample for three different L. monocytogenes strains. Condition one M-bM-^@M-^Ssub-lethal hyperosmotic stress: Control culture (Cy3-labelled RNA, except ATCC19115 for the 10%NaCl-3 dyeswapped , where the control was labeled with Cy5 and sample with Cy3) - strains were grown to mid exponential growth phase at 25M-BM-0C (in a shaking water bath) in brain-heart infusion broth. Test cultures (Cy5-labelled RNA, except ATCC19115 for the 10%NaCl-3 dyeswapped , where the control was labeled with Cy5 and sample with Cy3) M-bM-^@M-^S strains grown to mid exponential growth at 25M-BM-0C phase (in a shaking water bath) in BHI broth supplemented with 8% additional NaCl (strain 701700), 10% additional NaCl (strain ATCC19115) or 12% additional NaCl (ScottA). Condition two M-bM-^@M-^S cold stress: Control culture (Cy3-labelled RNA) - strains were grown to mid exponential growth phase at 25M-BM-0C (in a shaking water bath) in brain-heart infusion broth. Test cultures (Cy5-labelled RNA) M-bM-^@M-^S strains grown to exponential growth phase at 4M-BM-0C in BHI broth.

Project description:AbstractA comprehensive understanding of foodborne pathogen diversity in preharvest environments is necessary to effectively track pathogens on farms and identify sources of produce contamination. As such, this study aimed to characterize Listeria diversity in wildlife feces and agricultural water collected from a New York state produce farm over a growing season. Water samples were collected from a pond (n = 80) and a stream (n = 52). Fecal samples (n = 77) were opportunistically collected from areas <5 m from the water sources; all samples were collected from a <0.5-km2 area. Overall, 86 (41%) and 50 (24%) of 209 samples were positive for Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spp. (excluding L. monocytogenes), respectively. For each positive sample, one L. monocytogenes or Listeria spp. isolate was speciated by sequencing the sigB gene, thereby allowing for additional characterization based on the sigB allelic type. The 86 L. monocytogenes and 50 Listeria spp. isolates represented 8 and 23 different allelic types, respectively. A subset of L. monocytogenes isolates (n = 44) from pond water and pond-adjacent feces (representing an ∼5,000-m2 area) were further characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE); these 44 isolates represented 22 PFGE types, which is indicative of considerable diversity at a small spatial scale. Ten PFGE types were isolated more than once, suggesting persistence or reintroduction of PFGE types in this area. Given the small spatial scale, the prevalence of L. monocytogenes and Listeria spp., as well as the considerable diversity among isolates, suggests traceback investigations may be challenging. For example, traceback of finished product or processing facility contamination with specific subtypes to preharvest sources may require collection of large sample sets and characterization of a considerable number of isolates. Our data also support the adage "absence of evidence does not equal evidence of absence" as applies to L. monocytogenes traceback efforts at the preharvest level.Highlights

Project description:Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can cause invasive severe human illness (listeriosis) in susceptible patients. Most human listeriosis cases appear to be caused by consumption of refrigerated ready-to-eat foods. Although initial contamination levels in foods are usually low, the ability of these bacteria to survive and multiply at low temperatures allows it to reach levels high enough to cause disease. This study explores the set of proteins that might have an association with L. monocytogenes adaptation to different temperatures. Cultures were grown in biofilm, the most widespread mode of growth in natural and industrial realms. Protein extractions were performed from three different growth temperatures (10, 25, and 37°C) and two growth phases (early stage and mature biofilm). L. monocytogenes subproteomes were targeted using three extraction methods: trypsin-enzymatic shaving, biotin-labeling and cell fractionation. The different subproteomes obtained were separated and analyzed by shotgun proteomics using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-OrbiTrap LTQVelos, ThermoFisher Scientific). A total of 141 (biotinylation), 98 (shaving) and 910 (fractionation) proteins were identified. Throughout the 920 unique proteins identified, many are connected to basic cell functions, but some are linked with thermoregulation. We observed some noteworthy protein abundance shifts associated with the major adaptation to cold mechanisms present in L. monocytogenes, namely: the role of ribosomes and the stressosome with a higher abundance of the general stress protein Ctc (Rl25) and the general stress transcription factor sigma B (σB), changes in cell fluidity and motility seen by higher levels of foldase protein PrsA2 and flagellin (FlaA), the uptake of osmolytes with a higher abundance of glycine betaine (GbuB) and carnitine transporters (OpucA), and the relevance of the overexpression of chaperone proteins such as cold shock proteins (CspLA and Dps). As for 37°C, we observed a significantly higher percentage of proteins associated with transcriptional or translational activity present in higher abundance upon comparison with the colder settings. These contrasts of protein expression throughout several conditions will enrich databases and help to model the regulatory circuitry that drives adaptation of L. monocytogenes to environments.

Project description:Listeria monocytogenes is ubiquitously found in nature and can easily enter food-processing facilities due to contaminations of raw materials. Several countermeasures are used to combat contamination of food products, for instance, the use of disinfectants that contain quaternary ammonium compounds, such as benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). In this study, we assessed the potential of the commonly used wild-type strain EGD-e to adapt to BAC and CTAB under laboratory growth conditions. All BAC-tolerant suppressors exclusively carried mutations in fepR, encoding a TetR-like transcriptional regulator, or its promoter region, likely resulting in the overproduction of the efflux pump FepA. In contrast, CTAB tolerance was associated with mutations in sugR, which regulates the expression of the efflux pumps SugE1 and SugE2. L. monocytogenes strains lacking either FepA or SugE1/2 could still acquire tolerance toward BAC and CTAB. Genomic analysis revealed that the overproduction of the remaining efflux system could compensate for the deleted one, and even in the absence of both efflux systems, tolerant strains could be isolated, which all carried mutations in the diacylglycerol kinase-encoding gene lmo1753 (dgkB). DgkB converts diacylglycerol to phosphatidic acid, which is subsequently reused for the synthesis of phospholipids, suggesting that alterations in membrane composition could be the third adaptation mechanism. IMPORTANCE Survival and proliferation of Listeria monocytogenes in the food industry are ongoing concerns, and while there are various countermeasures to combat contamination of food products, the pathogen still successfully manages to withstand the harsh conditions present in food-processing facilities, resulting in reoccurring outbreaks, subsequent infection, and disease. To counteract the spread of L. monocytogenes, it is crucial to understand and elucidate the underlying mechanism that permits their successful evasion. We present various adaptation mechanisms of L. monocytogenes to withstand two important quaternary ammonium compounds.

Dataset Information

Characterisation of the transcriptomes of genetically diverse Listeria monocytogenes exposed to hyperosmotic and low temperature conditions reveal global stress-adaptation mechanisms.

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Characterisation of the transcriptomes of genetically diverse Listeria monocytogenes exposed to hyperosmotic and low temperature conditions reveal global stress-adaptation mechanisms.

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