Project description:In several gram-positive bacterial genera including Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Listeria, sigma B (σB) has been identified as a stress-responsive alternative sigma factor responsible for initiating transcription of genes (the σB regulon) involved in response to stress-inducing environmental conditions. In L. monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen of considerable threat to public health and the food industry, σB is involved in regulation of stress response and virulence gene expression. We have defined the σB regulon in L. monocytogenes during early stationary phase and under salt stress (0.3M NaCl) conditions using whole-genome microarrays, identifying 168 genes that generated ≥2.0-fold higher signals in the parental strain 10403S than in an isogenic sigB null mutant (ΔsigB), categorized into nine functional groups including stress-response genes (12), virulence genes (5), and genes related to transport (26) and metabolism (45). To gain a broader biological perspective of the σB stress response system, we applied these microarrays to Listeria innocua under the same environmental conditions. Our studies revealed 64 candidates in the L. innocua σB regulon with ≥2.0-fold higher signals in the parent than in a ΔsigB mutant; 49 of the 64 genes overlap with the L. monocytogenes σB regulon, indicating extensive overlap in σB-controlled genes between the two species. Further transcriptional analysis using TaqMan quantitative real time RT-PCR was performed for selected genes that displayed contrasting fold changes among the four microarray data sets (two stress conditions per species). We report novel members of the L. monocytogenes σB regulon, as well as the initial definition of the L. innocua σB regulon. Our comparative studies of the σB stress response systems in L. monocytogenes and L. innocua revealed features of the σB regulon that are conserved and unique to the two species. Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria innocua, SigB regulon, salt stress, stationary phase
Project description:We performed spatial transcriptomics on a case series of different clinical subtypes of cutaneous lupus erythematosus including acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (malar rash, systemic lupus erythematosus). Our goals were to (1) determine which differentially expressed genes (DEGs) could be attributed to specific cell populations in specific locations within the tissue, (2) determine if spatial transcriptomics could better distinguish between CLE clinical subtypes than bulk RNA approaches and (3) examine potential cell-cell communication pathways within the skin lesions.
Project description:Data presented here show that gene expression in the mouse brain changes during systemic infection relative to a steady state (uninfected control) mouse during systemic Listeria monocytogenes infection. Microarray analysis of gene expression in the brain following i.v. inoculation of 1-2 LD 50 L. monocytogenes showed changes in brain transcriptional activity occurred prior to brain infection. Keywords: infectious diseases model, gene expression profiling for cell signaling/trafficking
Project description:Listeria monocytogenes is the ubiquitous food-borne pathogen which causes listeriosis, a disease with a high mortality rate, mostly transmitted through contaminated ready-to-eat foods (EFSA, 2018). To better understand the systemic response of such microorganism exposed at three environmental factors (T, pH and NaCl), the proteome of a L. monocytogenes strain, which was isolated from a meat product (Coppa di testa) linked to a listeriosis outbreak occurred in Marche region (Italy) in 2016, was investigated in order to identify differences in its protein patterns.
Project description:Several Toll-like receptors are activated by Listeria monocytogenes infection, resulting in the activation of MyD88 dependent signaling pathway. However, the negative role of MyD88 in gene expresson is unclear. To address this, we performed microarray analysis of mRNAs from WT or MyD88-/- peritoneal macrophages infected with Listeria monocytogenes.
