Project description:Peracetic acid (PAA), a strong oxidizing agent, has been widely used as a disinfectant in food processing settings as it does not produce harmful chlorinated by-products. In the present study, the transcriptional response of Listeria monocytogenes to 2.5 ppm of PAA was assessed using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). Our analysis revealed 12 differentially expressed genes, of which 9 were up-regulated (ohrR, ohrA, rpsN, lmo0637, lmo1973, fur, lmo2492, zurM, and lmo1007), and 3 were down-regulated (argG, lmo0604, lmo2156) in PAA treated samples compared to the control samples. A non-coding small RNA (rli32) was also found to be down-regulated. In detail, the organic peroxide toxicity protection (OhrA-OhrR) system, the metal homeostasis genes fur and zurM, the SbrE-regulated lmo0636-lmo0637 operon and a carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS) operon component were induced under exposure of L. monocytogenes to PAA. Hence, this study identified key elements involved in the primary response of L. monocytogenes to oxidative stress caused by PAA. The investigation of the molecular mechanism of PAA response in L. monocytogenes is of utmost importance for the food industry, as this response can be induced in food-processing environments, as a result of inadequate rinsing during the disinfection process, that lead to PAA residues at low concentrations.
Project description:The SOS response is a conserved pathway that is activated under certain stress conditions and is regulated by the repressor LexA and the activator RecA. The food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes contains RecA and LexA homologs, but their roles in Listeria have not been established. In this study, we identified the SOS regulon in L. monocytogenes by comparing the transcription profiles of the wild-type strain and the ΔrecA mutant strain after exposure to the DNA damaging agent mitomycinC (MMC). The SOS response is an inducible pathway involved in DNA repair, restart of stalled replication forks, and in induction of genetic variation in stressed and stationary phase cells. It is regulated by LexA and RecA. LexA is an autoregulatory repressor which binds to a consensus sequence in the promoter region of the SOS response genes, thereby repressing transcription. A consensus LexA binding motif for L. monocytogenes has not been identified thus far. Generally, the SOS response is induced under circumstances in which single stranded DNA accumulates in the cell. This results in activation of RecA, which in turn stimulates cleavage of LexA, and ultimately in the induction of the SOS response. Keywords: stress response, loop design, SOS response, mitomycin c, listeria monocytogenes, RecA, LexA
Project description:The formation of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms contributes to persistent contamination in food processing facilities. A microarray comparison of L. monocytogenes between the transcriptome of the strong biofilm forming strain (Bfms) Scott A and the weak biofilm forming (Bfmw) strain F2365 was conducted to identify genes potentially involved in biofilm formation. Among 951 genes with significant difference in expression between the two strains, a GntR-family response regulator encoding gene (LMOf2365_0414), designated lbrA, was found to be highly expressed in Scott A relative to F2365. A Scott A lbrA-deletion mutant, designated AW3, formed biofilm to a much lesser extent as compared to the parent strain by a rapid attachment assay and scanning electron microscopy. Complementation with lbrA from Scott A restored the Bfms phenotype in the AW3 derivative. A second microarray assessment using the lbrA deletion mutant AW3 and the wild type Scott A revealed a total of 304 genes with expression significantly different between the two strains, indicating the potential regulatory role of LbrA in L. monocytogenes. A cloned copy of Scott A lbrA was unable to confer enhanced biofilm forming potential in F2365, suggesting that additional factors contributed to weak biofilm formation by F2365. Findings from the study may lead to new strategies to modulate biofilm formation. Two comparisons were performed between 1) strong biofilm former Listeria monocytogenes strain ScottA versus weak biofilm former Listeria monocytogenes strain F2365; 2) Listeria monocytogenes ScottA LbrA deletion mutant strain versus Listeria monocytogenes ScottA. Four replicates were loaded for the first comparison and two replicates were loaded for the second comparison.
Project description:The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes has the ability to develop biofilm in food-processing environment, which becomes a major concern for the food safety. PrfA, a key transcriptional activator that regulates most of the known listerial virulence gene expression, has been shown to promote L. monocytogenes biofilm formation. In this study, the whole genome microarray was used to identify differentially expressed genes associated with the putative interaction between biofilm formation and PrfA in L. monocytogenes. Comparative transcriptome analyses indicated over 21.9% of the L. monocytogenes EGDe genes (627 out of 2857 predicted) were altered in their expression in biofilm cells relative to planktonic cell populations. These genes were classed into different functional categories which cover most of the biochemical functions encountered in bacterial cells, especially involved in ion transport, DNA repair, and cell wall biosynthesis based on significant enrichment of GO terms. Among them, 185 genes were identified to be associated with PrfA and biofilm formation by comparison of the whole gene expression profiles of L. monocytogenes EGDe and its M-NM-^TprfA mutant. The expression tendency of these PrfA-associated and biofilm-specific genes were mainly opposite in M-NM-^TprfA biofilm, and most of them are involved in phage-related function, membrane bioenergetics, and cell wall. Our results indicated that L. monocytogenes biofilm formation is probably controlled by the complex regulation network involved variable genes required for the different biological pathways. This regulatory network is modified in the prfA deletion mutant in order to maintain its stable biofilm lifestyle. Gene expression of planktonic cells and biofilm cells in Listeria monocytogenes EGDe and prfA isogenic deletion strain EGDeM-NM-^TprfA with cultivated in MEM and BHI for 48 hours, were mesasued using Agilent Listeria monocytogenes customized whole-genome microarray 8x15 array. Three replicates.
Project description:Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen which causes listeriosis. It is an intracellular parasite invading the epithelial cells where it escapes from the vacuole into the host cytoplasm to replicate, using actin-based motility to move within and between cells. The intracellular life cycle is well documented whereas the time spent in the lumen of the intestine is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which L. monocytogenes adapts to the environment of the small intestine prior to invasion. Specifically, to determine if the PrfA regulon, that encodes the virulence factors of L. monocytogenes, is switched on by signals within the intestinal lumen. L. monocytogenes were grown under aerobic or microaerobic conditions with glucose or glycerol as carbon source.
Project description:Listeria monocytogenes strains classify into at least three distinct phylogenetic lineages. Correlations exist between lineage classification and source of bacterial isolation, e.g., human clinical and food isolates usually classify into either lineage I or II, however, human clinical isolates are over-represented in lineage I while food isolates are over-represented in lineage II. σB, a transcriptional regulator previously demonstrated to contribute to environmental stress response and virulence in L. monocytogenes lineage II strains, was hypothesized to provide differential capabilities for L. monocytogenes survival in various niches (e.g., food vs. human clinical). To determine if σB contributions to stress response and virulence differ across diverse L. monocytogenes strains, ΔsigB mutations were created in strains from lineages I, II, IIIA, and IIIB. Paired parent and ΔsigB mutant strains were tested for acid and oxidative stress survival, Caco-2 cell invasion efficiency, and virulence using the guinea pig listeriosis infection model. Parent and ΔsigB mutant strain transcriptomes were compared using whole-genome expression microarrays. σB contributed to virulence in each strain. However, while σB contributed significantly to acid and oxidative stress survival and Caco-2 cell invasion in lineage I, II, and IIIB strains, σB contributions were not significant for these phenotypes in the lineage IIIA strain. A core set of 63 genes was positively regulated by σB in all four strains; different total numbers of genes were positively regulated by σB in each strain. Our results suggest that σB universally contributes to L. monocytogenes virulence, but specific σB-regulated stress response phenotypes vary among strains.