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Niu M, Sui Z, Jiang G, Wang L, Yao X, Hu Y. The Mutation of the DNA-Binding Domain of Fur Protein Enhances the Pathogenicity of Edwardsiella piscicida via Inducing Overpowering Pyroptosis. Microorganisms 2023; 12:11. [PMID: 38276180 PMCID: PMC10821184 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Edwardsiella piscicida is an important fish pathogen with a broad host that causes substantial economic losses in the aquaculture industry. Ferric uptake regulator (Fur) is a global transcriptional regulator and contains two typical domains, the DNA-binding domain and dimerization domain. In a previous study, we obtained a mutant strain of full-length fur of E. piscicida, TX01Δfur, which displayed increased siderophore production and stress resistance factors and decreased pathogenicity. To further reveal the regulatory mechanism of Fur, the DNA-binding domain (N-terminal) of Fur was knocked out in this study and the mutant was named TX01Δfur2. We found that TX01Δfur2 displayed increased siderophore production and enhanced adversity tolerance, including a low pH, manganese, and high temperature stress, which was consistent with the phenotype of TX01Δfur. Contrary to TX01Δfur, whose virulence was weakened, TX01Δfur2 displayed an ascended invasion of nonphagocytic cells and enhanced destruction of phagocytes via inducing overpowering or uncontrollable pyroptosis, which was confirmed by the fact that TX01Δfur2 induced higher levels of cytotoxicity, IL-1β, and p10 in macrophages than TX01. More importantly, TX01Δfur2 displayed an increased global virulence to the host, which was confirmed by the result that TX01Δfur2 caused higher lethality outcomes for healthy tilapias than TX01. These results demonstrate that the mutation of the Fur N-terminal domain augments the resistance level against the stress and pathogenicity of E. piscicida, which is not dependent on the bacterial number in host cells or host tissues, although the capabilities of biofilm formation and the motility of TX01Δfur2 decline. These interesting findings provide a new insight into the functional analysis of Fur concerning the regulation of virulence in E. piscicida and prompt us to explore the subtle regulation mechanism of Fur in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mimi Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China;
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; (G.J.); (L.W.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops of Hainan Province, Hainan Institute for Tropical Agricultural Resources, Haikou 571101, China
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Zhihai Sui
- School of Life Science, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China;
| | - Guoquan Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; (G.J.); (L.W.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops of Hainan Province, Hainan Institute for Tropical Agricultural Resources, Haikou 571101, China
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; (G.J.); (L.W.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops of Hainan Province, Hainan Institute for Tropical Agricultural Resources, Haikou 571101, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Functional Components Research and Utilization of Marine Bio-Resources, Haikou 571101, China
| | - Xuemei Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China;
- School of Marine Biology and Aquaculture, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yonghua Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China; (G.J.); (L.W.)
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Resources of Tropical Crops of Hainan Province, Hainan Institute for Tropical Agricultural Resources, Haikou 571101, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Functional Components Research and Utilization of Marine Bio-Resources, Haikou 571101, China
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2
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Chowdhury B, Anand S. Environmental persistence of Listeria monocytogenes and its implications in dairy processing plants. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2023; 22:4573-4599. [PMID: 37680027 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Listeriosis, an invasive illness with a fatality rate between 20% and 30%, is caused by the ubiquitous bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Human listeriosis has long been associated with foods. This is because the ubiquitous nature of the bacteria renders it a common food contaminant, posing a significant risk to the food processing sector. Although several sophisticated stress coping mechanisms have been identified as significant contributing factors toward the pathogen's persistence, a complete understanding of the mechanisms underlying persistence across various strains remains limited. Moreover, aside from genetic aspects that promote the ability to cope with stress, various environmental factors that exist in food manufacturing plants could also contribute to the persistence of the pathogen. The objective of this review is to provide insight into the challenges faced by the dairy industry because of the pathogens' environmental persistence. Additionally, it also aims to emphasize the diverse adaptation and response mechanisms utilized by L. monocytogenes in food manufacturing plants to evade environmental stressors. The persistence of L. monocytogenes in the food processing environment poses a serious threat to food safety and public health. The emergence of areas with high levels of L. monocytogenes contamination could facilitate Listeria transmission through aerosols, potentially leading to the recontamination of food, particularly from floors and drains, when sanitation is implemented alongside product manufacturing. Hence, to produce safe dairy products and reduce the frequency of outbreaks of listeriosis, it is crucial to understand the factors that contribute to the persistence of this pathogen and to implement efficient control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaswati Chowdhury
- Department of Dairy and Food Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, USA
| | - Sanjeev Anand
- Department of Dairy and Food Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, USA
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3
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Tibbs-Cortes BW, Schultz DL, Schmitz-Esser S. Closed genome sequences of two Listeria monocytogenes ST121 strains. Microbiol Resour Announc 2023; 12:e0075023. [PMID: 37768047 PMCID: PMC10586163 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00750-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We performed Oxford Nanopore and Illumina sequencing to generate accurate, closed genomes for the Listeria monocytogenes strains 6179 and L58-55. The new assemblies were generally similar to the previous Illumina-based assemblies, but additional rRNA operons and repeat regions were identified in the new assembly for strain 6179.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bienvenido W. Tibbs-Cortes
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Dylan L. Schultz
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Stephan Schmitz-Esser
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
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4
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Schumacher K, Brameyer S, Jung K. Bacterial acid stress response: from cellular changes to antibiotic tolerance and phenotypic heterogeneity. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 75:102367. [PMID: 37633223 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Most bacteria are neutralophiles but can survive fluctuations in pH in their environment. Herein, we provide an overview of the adaptation of several human, soil, and food bacteria to acid stress, mainly based on next-generation sequencing studies, highlighting common and specific strategies. We also discuss the interplay between acid stress response and antibiotic tolerance, as well as the response of individual cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kilian Schumacher
- Faculty of Biology, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sophie Brameyer
- Faculty of Biology, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Kirsten Jung
- Faculty of Biology, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
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5
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Wiktorczyk-Kapischke N, Wałecka-Zacharska E, Korkus J, Grudlewska-Buda K, Budzyńska A, Wnuk K, Gospodarek-Komkowska E, Skowron K. The influence of stress factors on selected phenotypic and genotypic features of Listeria monocytogenes - a pilot study. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:259. [PMID: 37716959 PMCID: PMC10504795 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-03006-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Listeria monocytogenes are Gram-positive rods, widespread in the environment due to their wide tolerance to changing conditions. The apilot study aimed to assess the impact of six various stresses (heat, cold, osmotic, acid, alkali, frozen) on phenotypic features: MIC of antibiotics (penicillin, ampicillin, meropenem, erythromycin, co-trimoxazole; gradient stripes), motility, ability to form a biofilm (crystal violet method) and growth rate (OD and quantitative method), expression level of sigB (stress induced regulator of genes), agrA, agrB (associated with biofilm formation) and lmo2230, lmo0596 (acid and alkali stress) (qPCR) for three strains of L. monocytogenes. RESULTS Applied stress conditions contributed to changes in phenotypic features and expression levels of sigB, agrA, agrB, lmo2230 and lmo0596. Stress exposure increased MIC value for penicillin (ATCC 19111 - alkaline stress), ampicillin (472CC - osmotic, acid, alkaline stress), meropenem (strains: 55 C - acid, alkaline, o smotic, frozen stress; 472CC - acid, alkaline stress), erythromycin (strains: 55 C - acid stress; 472CC - acid, alkaline, osmotic stress; ATCC 19111 - osmotic, acid, alkaline, frozen stress), co-trimoxazole (strains: 55 C - acid stress; ATCC 19111 - osmotic, acid, alkaline stress). These changes, however, did not affect antibiotic susceptibility. The strain 472CC (a moderate biofilm former) increased biofilm production after exposure to all stress factors except heat and acid. The ATCC 19111 (a weak producer) formed moderate biofilm under all studied conditions except cold and frozen stress, respectively. The strain 55 C became a strong biofilm producer after exposure to cold and produced a weak biofilm in response to frozen stress. Three tested strains had lower growth rate (compared to the no stress variant) after exposure to heat stress. It has been found that the sigB transcript level increased under alkaline (472CC) stress and the agrB expression increased under cold, osmotic (55 C, 472CC), alkali and frozen (472CC) stress. In contrast, sigB transcript level decreased in response to acid and frozen stress (55 C), lmo2230 transcript level after exposure to acid and alkali stress (ATCC 19111), and lmo0596 transcript level after exposure to acid stress (ATCC 19111). CONCLUSIONS Environmental stress changes the ability to form a biofilm and the MIC values of antibiotics and affect the level of expression of selected genes, which may increase the survival and virulence of L. monocytogenes. Further research on a large L. monocytogenes population is needed to assess the molecular mechanism responsible for the correlation of antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation and resistance to stress factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Wiktorczyk-Kapischke
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Ewa Wałecka-Zacharska
- Department of Food Hygiene and Consumer Health, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Jakub Korkus
- Department of Food Hygiene and Consumer Health, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Grudlewska-Buda
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Anna Budzyńska
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Kacper Wnuk
- Department of Theoretical Foundations of Biomedical Sciences and Medical Computer Science, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medium in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Eugenia Gospodarek-Komkowska
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Skowron
- Department of Microbiology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
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6
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Sun L, Van Loey A, Buvé C, Michiels CW. Experimental Evolution Reveals a Novel Ene Reductase That Detoxifies α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes in Listeria monocytogenes. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0487722. [PMID: 37036358 PMCID: PMC10269891 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04877-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The plant essential oil component trans-cinnamaldehyde (t-CIN) exhibits antibacterial activity against a broad range of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, including L. monocytogenes, but its mode of action is not fully understood. In this study, several independent mutants of L. monocytogenes with increased t-CIN tolerance were obtained via experimental evolution. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis revealed single-nucleotide-variation mutations in the yhfK gene, encoding an oxidoreductase of the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases superfamily, in each mutant. The deletion of yhfK conferred increased sensitivity to t-CIN and several other α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, including trans-2-hexenal, citral, and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal. The t-CIN tolerance of the deletion mutant was restored via genetic complementation with yhfK. Based on a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the culture supernatants, it is proposed that YhfK is an ene reductase that converts t-CIN to 3-phenylpropanal by reducing the C=C double bond of the α,β-unsaturated aldehyde moiety. YhfK homologs are widely distributed in Bacteria, and the deletion of the corresponding homolog in Bacillus subtilis also caused increased sensitivity to t-CIN and trans-2-hexenal, suggesting that this protein may have a conserved function to protect bacteria against toxic α,β-unsaturated aldehydes in their environments. IMPORTANCE While bacterial resistance against clinically used antibiotics has been well studied, less is known about resistance against other antimicrobials, such as natural compounds that could replace traditional food preservatives. In this work, we report that the food pathogen Listeria monocytogenes can rapidly develop an elevated tolerance against t-cinnamaldehyde, a natural antimicrobial from cinnamon, by single base pair changes in the yhfK gene. The enzyme encoded by this gene is an oxidoreductase, but its substrates and precise role were hitherto unknown. We demonstrate that the enzyme reduces the double bond in t-cinnamaldehyde and thereby abolishes its antibacterial activity. Furthermore, the mutations linked to t-CIN tolerance increased bacterial sensitivity to a related compound, suggesting that they modify the substrate specificity of the enzyme. Since the family of oxidoreductases to which YhfK belongs is of great interest in the mediation of stereospecific reactions in biocatalysis, our work may also have unanticipated application potential in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Sun
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ann Van Loey
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Carolien Buvé
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Chris W. Michiels
- Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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7
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Wu J, McAuliffe O, O'Byrne CP. Manganese uptake mediated by the NRAMP-type transporter MntH is required for acid tolerance in Listeria monocytogenes. Int J Food Microbiol 2023; 399:110238. [PMID: 37148667 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that is characterized by its ability to withstand mild stresses (i.e. cold, acid, salt) often encountered in food products or food processing environments. In the previous phenotypic and genotypic characterization of a collection of L. monocytogenes strains, we have identified one strain 1381, originally obtained from EURL-lm, as acid sensitive (reduced survival at pH 2.3) and extremely acid intolerant (no growth at pH 4.9, which supports the growth of most strains). In this study, we investigated the cause of acid intolerance in strain 1381 by isolating and sequencing reversion mutants that were capable of growth at low pH (pH 4.8) to a similar extent as another strain (1380) from the same MLST clonal complex (CC2). Whole genome sequencing showed that a truncation in mntH, which encodes a homologue of an NRAMP (Natural Resistance-Associated Macrophage Protein) type Mn2+ transporter, is responsible for the acid intolerance phenotype observed in strain 1381. However, the mntH truncation alone was not sufficient to explain the acid sensitivity of strain 1381 at lethal pH values as strain 1381R1 (a mntH+ revertant) exhibited similar acid survival to its parental strain at pH 2.3. Further growth experiments demonstrated that Mn2+ (but not Fe2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Ca2+, or Mg2+) supplementation fully rescues the growth of strain 1381 under low pH conditions, suggesting that a Mn2+ limitation is the likely cause of growth arrest in the mntH- background. Consistent with the important role of Mn2+ in the acid stress response was the finding that mntH and mntB (both encoding Mn2+ transporters) had higher transcription levels following exposure to mild acid stress (pH 5). Taken together, these results provide evidence that MntH-mediated Mn2+ uptake is essential for the growth of L. monocytogenes under low pH conditions. Moreover, since strain 1381 was recommended for conducting food challenge studies by the European Union Reference Laboratory, the use of this strain in evaluating the growth of L. monocytogenes in low pH environments where Mn2+ is scarce should be reconsidered. Furthermore, since it is unknown when strain 1381 acquired the mntH frameshift mutation, the ability of the strains used for challenge studies to grow under food-related stresses needs to be routinely validated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialun Wu
- Bacterial Stress Response Group, Microbiology, Ryan Institute, School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland
| | | | - Conor P O'Byrne
- Bacterial Stress Response Group, Microbiology, Ryan Institute, School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland..
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8
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Anast JM, Etter AJ, Schmitz‐Esser S. Comparative analysis of
Listeria monocytogenes
plasmid transcriptomes reveals common and plasmid‐specific gene expression patterns and high expression of noncoding RNAs. Microbiologyopen 2022; 11:e1315. [PMID: 36314750 PMCID: PMC9484302 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research demonstrated that some Listeria monocytogenes plasmids contribute to stress survival. However, only a few studies have analyzed gene expression patterns of L. monocytogenes plasmids. In this study, we identified four previously published stress‐response‐associated transcriptomic data sets which studied plasmid‐harboring L. monocytogenes strains but did not include an analysis of the plasmid transcriptomes. The four transcriptome data sets encompass three distinct plasmids from three different L. monocytogenes strains. Differential gene expression analysis of these plasmids revealed that the number of differentially expressed (DE) L. monocytogenes plasmid genes ranged from 30 to 45 with log2 fold changes of −2.2 to 6.8, depending on the plasmid. Genes often found to be DE included the cadmium resistance genes cadA and cadC, a gene encoding a putative NADH peroxidase, the putative ultraviolet resistance gene uvrX, and several uncharacterized noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). Plasmid‐encoded ncRNAs were consistently among the highest expressed genes. In addition, one of the data sets utilized the same experimental conditions for two different strains harboring distinct plasmids. We found that the gene expression patterns of these two L. monocytogenes plasmids were highly divergent despite the identical treatments. These data suggest plasmid‐specific gene expression responses to environmental stimuli and differential plasmid regulation mechanisms between L. monocytogenes strains. Our findings further our understanding of the dynamic expression of L. monocytogenes plasmid‐encoded genes in diverse environmental conditions and highlight the need to expand the study of L. monocytogenes plasmid genes' functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M. Anast
- Department of Animal Science Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
| | - Andrea J. Etter
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences The University of Vermont Burlington Vermont USA
| | - Stephan Schmitz‐Esser
- Department of Animal Science Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
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Di Renzo L, De Angelis ME, Torresi M, Di Lollo V, Di Teodoro G, Averaimo D, Defourny SVP, Di Giacinto F, Profico C, Olivieri V, Pomilio F, Cammà C, Ferri N, Di Francesco G. First Report of Septicaemic Listeriosis in a Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) Stranded along the Adriatic Coast: Strain Detection and Sequencing. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182364. [PMID: 36139224 PMCID: PMC9495059 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there are increasing reports on the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in wild species, this is the first case of listeriosis in sea turtle. An adult female Caretta caretta was rescued after being stranded alive along the coast of the Abruzzo region (Italy) in summer 2021. The turtle died in 6 days due to respiratory failure. The necropsy showed widespread organ lesions, such as yellow foci of necrosis in many organs, gastrointestinal erosions, pericarditis, and granulomatous pneumonia. Microbiological and histological analyses were performed on several organs. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from multiple organs, indicating a case of septicaemic listeriosis, and the genome was sequenced and characterized. All the colonies analysed belonged to the same strain serogroup IVb, ST388, and CC388.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Di Renzo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
- Centro Studi Cetacei Onlus, Centro Recupero e Riabilitazione Tartarughe Marine “L.Cagnolaro”, 65125 Pescara, PE, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-08613321
| | | | - Marina Torresi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
| | - Valeria Di Lollo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
| | - Giovanni Di Teodoro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
| | - Daniela Averaimo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
| | | | - Federica Di Giacinto
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
| | - Chiara Profico
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
- Centro Studi Cetacei Onlus, Centro Recupero e Riabilitazione Tartarughe Marine “L.Cagnolaro”, 65125 Pescara, PE, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Olivieri
- Centro Studi Cetacei Onlus, Centro Recupero e Riabilitazione Tartarughe Marine “L.Cagnolaro”, 65125 Pescara, PE, Italy
| | - Francesco Pomilio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
| | - Cesare Cammà
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
| | - Nicola Ferri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
| | - Gabriella Di Francesco
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (IZS) dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, TE, Italy
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10
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Xu J, Cotruvo JA. Reconsidering the czcD (NiCo) Riboswitch as an Iron Riboswitch. ACS BIO & MED CHEM AU 2022; 2:376-385. [PMID: 35996475 PMCID: PMC9389577 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.1c00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
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Recent work has proposed
a new mechanism of bacterial iron regulation:
riboswitches that undergo a conformational change in response to FeII. The czcD (NiCo) riboswitch was initially
proposed to be specific for NiII and CoII, but
we recently showed via a czcD-based fluorescent sensor
that FeII is also a plausible physiological ligand for
this riboswitch class. Here, we provide direct evidence that this
riboswitch class responds to FeII. Isothermal titration
calorimetry studies of the native czcD riboswitches
from three organisms show no response to MnII, a weak response
to ZnII, and similar dissociation constants (∼1
μM) and conformational responses for FeII, CoII, and NiII. Only the iron response is in the physiological
concentration regime; the riboswitches’ responses to CoII, NiII, and ZnII require 103-, 105-, and 106-fold higher “free”
metal ion concentrations, respectively, than the typical availability
of those metal ions in cells. By contrast, the “Sensei”
RNA, recently claimed to be an iron-specific riboswitch, exhibits
no response to FeII. Our results demonstrate that iron
responsiveness is a conserved property of czcD riboswitches
and clarify that this is the only family of iron-responsive riboswitch
identified to date, setting the stage for characterization of their
physiological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiansong Xu
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Joseph A. Cotruvo
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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11
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Saint Martin C, Darsonval M, Grégoire M, Caccia N, Midoux L, Berland S, Leroy S, Dubois-Brissonnet F, Desvaux M, Briandet R. Spatial organisation of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 cultivated in gel matrices. Food Microbiol 2022; 103:103965. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2021.103965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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12
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Osek J, Lachtara B, Wieczorek K. Listeria monocytogenes - How This Pathogen Survives in Food-Production Environments? Front Microbiol 2022; 13:866462. [PMID: 35558128 PMCID: PMC9087598 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.866462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of human listeriosis, a severe disease, especially dangerous for the elderly, pregnant women, and newborns. Although this infection is comparatively rare, it is often associated with a significant mortality rate of 20-30% worldwide. Therefore, this microorganism has an important impact on food safety. L. monocytogenes can adapt, survive and even grow over a wide range of food production environmental stress conditions such as temperatures, low and high pH, high salt concentration, ultraviolet lights, presence of biocides and heavy metals. Furthermore, this bacterium is also able to form biofilm structures on a variety of surfaces in food production environments which makes it difficult to remove and allows it to persist for a long time. This increases the risk of contamination of food production facilities and finally foods. The present review focuses on the key issues related to the molecular mechanisms of the pathogen survival and adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. Knowledge and understanding of the L. monocytogenes adaptation approaches to environmental stress factors will have a significant influence on the development of new, efficient, and cost-effective methods of the pathogen control in the food industry, which is critical to ensure food production safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Osek
- Department of Hygiene of Food of Animal Origin, National Veterinary Research Institute, Puławy, Poland
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13
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Quereda JJ, Morón-García A, Palacios-Gorba C, Dessaux C, García-del Portillo F, Pucciarelli MG, Ortega AD. Pathogenicity and virulence of Listeria monocytogenes: A trip from environmental to medical microbiology. Virulence 2021; 12:2509-2545. [PMID: 34612177 PMCID: PMC8496543 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1975526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is a saprophytic gram-positive bacterium, and an opportunistic foodborne pathogen that can produce listeriosis in humans and animals. It has evolved an exceptional ability to adapt to stress conditions encountered in different environments, resulting in a ubiquitous distribution. Because some food preservation methods and disinfection protocols in food-processing environments cannot efficiently prevent contaminations, L. monocytogenes constitutes a threat to human health and a challenge to food safety. In the host, Listeria colonizes the gastrointestinal tract, crosses the intestinal barrier, and disseminates through the blood to target organs. In immunocompromised individuals, the elderly, and pregnant women, the pathogen can cross the blood-brain and placental barriers, leading to neurolisteriosis and materno-fetal listeriosis. Molecular and cell biology studies of infection have proven L. monocytogenes to be a versatile pathogen that deploys unique strategies to invade different cell types, survive and move inside the eukaryotic host cell, and spread from cell to cell. Here, we present the multifaceted Listeria life cycle from a comprehensive perspective. We discuss genetic features of pathogenic Listeria species, analyze factors involved in food contamination, and review bacterial strategies to tolerate stresses encountered both during food processing and along the host's gastrointestinal tract. Then we dissect host-pathogen interactions underlying listerial pathogenesis in mammals from a cell biology and systemic point of view. Finally, we summarize the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical features of listeriosis in humans and animals. This work aims to gather information from different fields crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J. Quereda
- Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities. Valencia, Spain
| | - Alvaro Morón-García
- Departamento de Biología Celular. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Madrid, Spain
| | - Carla Palacios-Gorba
- Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities. Valencia, Spain
| | - Charlotte Dessaux
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB)- Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco García-del Portillo
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB)- Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - M. Graciela Pucciarelli
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB)- Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Biología Molecular ‘Severo Ochoa’. Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Madrid, Spain
| | - Alvaro D. Ortega
- Departamento de Biología Celular. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB)- Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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14
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Chmielowska C, Korsak D, Chapkauskaitse E, Decewicz P, Lasek R, Szuplewska M, Bartosik D. Plasmidome of Listeria spp.-The repA-Family Business. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910320. [PMID: 34638661 PMCID: PMC8508797 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria of the genus Listeria (phylum Firmicutes) include both human and animal pathogens, as well as saprophytic strains. A common component of Listeria spp. genomes are plasmids, i.e., extrachromosomal replicons that contribute to gene flux in bacteria. This study provides an in-depth insight into the structure, diversity and evolution of plasmids occurring in Listeria strains inhabiting various environments under different anthropogenic pressures. Apart from the components of the conserved plasmid backbone (providing replication, stable maintenance and conjugational transfer functions), these replicons contain numerous adaptive genes possibly involved in: (i) resistance to antibiotics, heavy metals, metalloids and sanitizers, and (ii) responses to heat, oxidative, acid and high salinity stressors. Their genomes are also enriched by numerous transposable elements, which have influenced the plasmid architecture. The plasmidome of Listeria is dominated by a group of related replicons encoding the RepA replication initiation protein. Detailed comparative analyses provide valuable data on the level of conservation of these replicons and their role in shaping the structure of the Listeria pangenome, as well as their relationship to plasmids of other genera of Firmicutes, which demonstrates the range and direction of flow of genetic information in this important group of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cora Chmielowska
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (E.C.); (R.L.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence: (C.C.); (D.B.)
| | - Dorota Korsak
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Elvira Chapkauskaitse
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (E.C.); (R.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Przemysław Decewicz
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Robert Lasek
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (E.C.); (R.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Magdalena Szuplewska
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (E.C.); (R.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Dariusz Bartosik
- Department of Bacterial Genetics, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland; (E.C.); (R.L.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence: (C.C.); (D.B.)
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15
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Anast JM, Schmitz-Esser S. Certain Listeria monocytogenes plasmids contribute to increased UVC ultraviolet light stress. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2021; 368:6367057. [PMID: 34498664 PMCID: PMC8457643 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnab123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of the highly fatal foodborne disease listeriosis and can persist in food production environments. Recent research highlights the involvement of L. monocytogenes plasmids in different stress response mechanisms, which contribute to its survival in food production facilities. Ultraviolet (UV) light in the UVC spectrum (200–280 nm) is used in food production to control microbial contamination. Although plasmid-encoded UV resistance mechanisms have been described in other bacteria, no research indicates that L. monocytogenes plasmids contribute to the UV stress response. The plasmids of L. monocytogenes strains 6179, 4KSM and R479a are genetically distinct and were utilized to study the roles of plasmids in the UV response. Wild-type and plasmid-cured variant cells were grown to logarithmic or late-stationary phase, plated on agar plates and exposed to UVC for 60 or 90 s, and colony-forming units (CFUs) were determined. CFUs of 6179 and 4KSM, bearing pLM6179 and p4KSM, respectively, were significantly (P-value < 0.05) higher than those of the plasmid-cured strains in both logarithmic and stationary phases. No difference in survival was observed for the R479a strain. Our data show for the first time that certain L. monocytogenes plasmids contribute to the survival of UVC light stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Anast
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.,Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Stephan Schmitz-Esser
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.,Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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16
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Yang R, Chen X, Huang Q, Chen C, Rengasamy KRR, Chen J, Wan C(C. Mining RNA-Seq Data to Depict How Penicillium digitatum Shapes Its Transcriptome in Response to Nanoemulsion. Front Nutr 2021; 8:724419. [PMID: 34595200 PMCID: PMC8476847 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.724419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Penicillium digitatum is the most severe pathogen that infects citrus fruits during storage. It can cause fruit rot and bring significant economic losses. The continuous use of fungicides has resulted in the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Consequently, there is a need to develop naturally and efficiently antifungal fungicides. Natural antimicrobial agents such as clove oil, cinnamon oil, and thyme oil can be extracted from different plant parts. They exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and have great potential in the food industry. Here, we exploit a novel cinnamaldehyde (CA), eugenol (EUG), or carvacrol (CAR) combination antifungal therapy and formulate it into nanoemulsion form to overcome lower solubility and instability of essential oil. In this study, the antifungal activity evaluation and transcriptional profile of Penicillium digitatum exposed to compound nanoemulsion were evaluated. Results showed that compound nanoemulsion had a striking inhibitory effect on P. digitatum in a dose-dependent manner. According to RNA-seq analysis, there were 2,169 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between control and nanoemulsion-treated samples, including 1,028 downregulated and 1,141 upregulated genes. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that the DEGs were mainly involved in intracellular organelle parts of cell component: cellular respiration, proton transmembrane transport of biological process, and guanyl nucleotide-binding molecular function. KEGG analysis revealed that metabolic pathway, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism were the most highly enriched pathways for these DEGs. Taken together, we can conclude the promising antifungal activity of nanoemulsion with multiple action sites against P. digitatum. These outcomes would deepen our knowledge of the inhibitory mechanism from molecular aspects and exploit naturally, efficiently, and harmlessly antifungal agents in the citrus postharvest industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruopeng Yang
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Postharvest Technology and Nondestructive Testing of Fruits & Vegetables, College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
- College of Life Science and Technology, Honghe University, Mengzi, China
| | - Xiu Chen
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Postharvest Technology and Nondestructive Testing of Fruits & Vegetables, College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qiang Huang
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Postharvest Technology and Nondestructive Testing of Fruits & Vegetables, College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Chuying Chen
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Postharvest Technology and Nondestructive Testing of Fruits & Vegetables, College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Kannan R. R. Rengasamy
- Green Biotechnologies Research Centre of Excellence, University of Limpopo, Mankweng, South Africa
| | - Jinyin Chen
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Postharvest Technology and Nondestructive Testing of Fruits & Vegetables, College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
- College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Pingxiang University, Pingxiang, China
| | - Chunpeng (Craig) Wan
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Postharvest Technology and Nondestructive Testing of Fruits & Vegetables, College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
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17
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Alternative σ Factors Regulate Overlapping as Well as Distinct Stress Response and Metabolic Functions in Listeria monocytogenes under Stationary Phase Stress Condition. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10040411. [PMID: 33915780 PMCID: PMC8066629 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes can regulate and fine-tune gene expression, to adapt to diverse stress conditions encountered during foodborne transmission. To further understand the contributions of alternative sigma (σ) factors to the regulation of L. monocytogenes gene expression, RNA-Seq was performed on L. monocytogenes strain 10403S and five isogenic mutants (four strains bearing in-frame null mutations in three out of four alternative σ factor genes, ΔCHL, ΔBHL, ΔBCL, and ΔBCH, and one strain bearing null mutations in all four genes, ΔBCHL), grown to stationary phase. Our data showed that 184, 35, 34, and 20 genes were positively regulated by σB, σL, σH, and σC (posterior probability > 0.9 and Fold Change (FC) > 5.0), respectively. Moreover, σB-dependent genes showed the highest FC (based on comparisons between the ΔCHL and the ΔBCHL strain), with 44 genes showing an FC > 100; only four σL-dependent, and no σH- or σC-dependent genes showed FC >100. While σB-regulated genes identified in this study are involved in stress-associated functions and metabolic pathways, σL appears to largely regulate genes involved in a few specific metabolic pathways, including positive regulation of operons encoding phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-dependent phosphotransferase systems (PTSs). Overall, our data show that (i) σB and σL directly and indirectly regulate genes involved in several energy metabolism-related functions; (ii) alternative σ factors are involved in complex regulatory networks and appear to have epistatic effects in stationary phase cells; and (iii) σB regulates multiple stress response pathways, while σL and σH positively regulate a smaller number of specific pathways.
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18
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Identification of Listeria monocytogenes Genes Contributing to Oxidative Stress Resistance under Conditions Relevant to Host Infection. Infect Immun 2021; 89:IAI.00700-20. [PMID: 33495274 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00700-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes survives in environments ranging from the soil to the cytosol of infected host cells. Key to L. monocytogenes intracellular survival is the activation of PrfA, a transcriptional regulator that is required for the expression of multiple bacterial virulence factors. Mutations that constitutively activate prfA (prfA* mutations) result in high-level expression of multiple bacterial virulence factors as well as the physiological adaptation of L. monocytogenes for optimal replication within host cells. Here, we demonstrate that L. monocytogenes prfA* mutants exhibit significantly enhanced resistance to oxidative stress in comparison to that of wild-type strains. Transposon mutagenesis of L. monocytogenes prfA* strains resulted in the identification of three novel gene targets required for full oxidative stress resistance only in the context of PrfA activation. One gene, lmo0779, predicted to encode an uncharacterized protein, and two additional genes known as cbpA and ygbB, encoding a cyclic di-AMP binding protein and a 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase, respectively, contribute to the enhanced oxidative stress resistance of prfA* strains while exhibiting no significant contribution in wild-type L. monocytogenes Transposon inactivation of cbpA and lmo0779 in a prfA* background led to reduced virulence in the liver of infected mice. These results indicate that L. monocytogenes calls upon specific bacterial factors for stress resistance in the context of PrfA activation and thus under conditions favorable for bacterial replication within infected mammalian cells.
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19
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Schmitz-Esser S, Anast JM, Cortes BW. A Large-Scale Sequencing-Based Survey of Plasmids in Listeria monocytogenes Reveals Global Dissemination of Plasmids. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:653155. [PMID: 33776982 PMCID: PMC7994336 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.653155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is known for its capacity to cope with multiple stress conditions occurring in food and food production environments (FPEs). Plasmids can provide benefits to their host strains, and it is known that various Listeria strains contain plasmids. However, the current understanding of plasmid frequency and function in L. monocytogenes strains remains rather limited. To determine the presence of plasmids among L. monocytogenes strains and their potential contribution to stress survival, a comprehensive dataset was established based on 1,921 published genomes from strains representing 14 L. monocytogenes sequence types (STs). Our results show that an average of 54% of all L. monocytogenes strains in the dataset contained a putative plasmid. The presence of plasmids was highly variable between different STs. While some STs, such as ST1, ST2, and ST4, contained few plasmid-bearing strains (<15% of the strains per ST), other STs, such as ST121, ST5, ST8, ST3, and ST204, possessed a higher proportion of plasmid-bearing strains with plasmids found in >71% of the strains within each ST. Overall, the sizes of plasmids analyzed in this study ranged from 4 to 170 kbp with a median plasmid size of 61 kbp. We also identified two novel groups of putative Listeria plasmids based on the amino acid sequences of the plasmid replication protein, RepA. We show that highly conserved plasmids are shared among Listeria strains which have been isolated from around the world over the last few decades. To investigate the potential roles of plasmids, nine genes related to stress-response were selected for an assessment of their abundance and conservation among L. monocytogenes plasmids. The results demonstrated that these plasmid genes exhibited high sequence conservation but that their presence in plasmids was highly variable. Additionally, we identified a novel transposon, Tn7075, predicted to be involved in mercury-resistance. Here, we provide the largest plasmid survey of L. monocytogenes to date with a comprehensive examination of the distribution of plasmids among L. monocytogenes strains. Our results significantly increase our knowledge about the distribution, composition, and conservation of L. monocytogenes plasmids and suggest that plasmids are likely important for the survival of L. monocytogenes in food and FPEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Schmitz-Esser
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States.,Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Justin M Anast
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States.,Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Bienvenido W Cortes
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States.,Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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20
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Duru IC, Bucur FI, Andreevskaya M, Nikparvar B, Ylinen A, Grigore-Gurgu L, Rode TM, Crauwels P, Laine P, Paulin L, Løvdal T, Riedel CU, Bar N, Borda D, Nicolau AI, Auvinen P. High-pressure processing-induced transcriptome response during recovery of Listeria monocytogenes. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:117. [PMID: 33579201 PMCID: PMC7881616 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07407-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background High-pressure processing (HPP) is a commonly used technique in the food industry to inactivate pathogens, including L. monocytogenes. It has been shown that L. monocytogenes is able to recover from HPP injuries and can start to grow again during long-term cold storage. To date, the gene expression profiling of L. monocytogenes during HPP damage recovery at cooling temperature has not been studied. In order identify key genes that play a role in recovery of the damage caused by HPP treatment, we performed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) for two L. monocytogenes strains (barotolerant RO15 and barosensitive ScottA) at nine selected time points (up to 48 h) after treatment with two pressure levels (200 and 400 MPa). Results The results showed that a general stress response was activated by SigB after HPP treatment. In addition, the phosphotransferase system (PTS; mostly fructose-, mannose-, galactitol-, cellobiose-, and ascorbate-specific PTS systems), protein folding, and cobalamin biosynthesis were the most upregulated genes during HPP damage recovery. We observed that cell-division-related genes (divIC, dicIVA, ftsE, and ftsX) were downregulated. By contrast, peptidoglycan-synthesis genes (murG, murC, and pbp2A) were upregulated. This indicates that cell-wall repair occurs as a part of HPP damage recovery. We also observed that prophage genes, including anti-CRISPR genes, were induced by HPP. Interestingly, a large amount of RNA-seq data (up to 85%) was mapped to Rli47, which is a non-coding RNA that is upregulated after HPP. Thus, we predicted that Rli47 plays a role in HPP damage recovery in L. monocytogenes. Moreover, gene-deletion experiments showed that amongst peptidoglycan biosynthesis genes, pbp2A mutants are more sensitive to HPP. Conclusions We identified several genes and mechanisms that may play a role in recovery from HPP damage of L. monocytogenes. Our study contributes to new information on pathogen inactivation by HPP. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07407-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilhan Cem Duru
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Florentina Ionela Bucur
- Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Galati, Romania
| | | | - Bahareh Nikparvar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anne Ylinen
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Leontina Grigore-Gurgu
- Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Galati, Romania
| | - Tone Mari Rode
- Department of Process Technology, Nofima - Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, N-4068, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Peter Crauwels
- Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Ulm, University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Pia Laine
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lars Paulin
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Trond Løvdal
- Department of Process Technology, Nofima - Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, N-4068, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Christian U Riedel
- Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Ulm, University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Nadav Bar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Daniela Borda
- Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Galati, Romania
| | - Anca Ioana Nicolau
- Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Galati, Romania
| | - Petri Auvinen
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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21
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Tran HT, Bonilla CY. SigB-regulated antioxidant functions in gram‐positive bacteria. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:38. [DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03004-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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22
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Virulence characterization and comparative genomics of Listeria monocytogenes sequence type 155 strains. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:847. [PMID: 33256601 PMCID: PMC7708227 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07263-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Listeria (L.) monocytogenes strains show a high diversity regarding stress tolerance and virulence potential. Genome studies have mainly focused on specific sequence types (STs) predominantly associated with either food or human listeriosis. This study focused on the prevalent ST155, showing equal distribution among clinical and food isolates. We evaluated the virulence potential of 20 ST155 strains and performed comparative genomic analysis of 130 ST155 strains isolated from food, food processing environments and human listeriosis cases in different countries and years. RESULTS The in vitro virulence assays using human intestinal epithelial Caco2 and hepatocytic HEPG2 cells showed an impaired virulence phenotype for six of the 20 selected ST155 strains. Genome analysis revealed no distinct clustering of strains from the same source category (food, food processing environment, and clinical isolates). All strains harbored an intact inlA and inlB locus, except four strains, which had an internal deletion in the inlA gene. All strains harbored LIPI-1, but prfA was present in a longer variant in six strains, all showing impaired virulence. The longer PrfA variant resulted in lower expression of inlA, inlB, and prfA, and no expression of hly and actA. Regarding stress-related gene content, SSI-1 was present, whereas qacH was absent in all strains. 34.6% of the strains harbored a plasmid. All but one ST155 plasmids showed high conservation and harbored cadA2, bcrABC, and a triphenylmethane reductase. CONCLUSIONS This study contributes to an enhanced understanding of L. monocytogenes ST155 strains, being equally distributed among isolates from humans, food, and food processing environments. The conservation of the present genetic traits and the absence of unique inherent genetic features makes these types of STs especially interesting since they are apparently equally adapted to the conditions in food processing environments, as well as in food as to the human host environment. However, a ST155-specific mutation resulting in a longer PrfA variant impaired the virulence potential of several ST155 strains.
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Arcari T, Feger ML, Guerreiro DN, Wu J, O’Byrne CP. Comparative Review of the Responses of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli to Low pH Stress. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11111330. [PMID: 33187233 PMCID: PMC7698193 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Acidity is one of the principal physicochemical factors that influence the behavior of microorganisms in any environment, and their response to it often determines their ability to grow and survive. Preventing the growth and survival of pathogenic bacteria or, conversely, promoting the growth of bacteria that are useful (in biotechnology and food production, for example), might be improved considerably by a deeper understanding of the protective responses that these microorganisms deploy in the face of acid stress. In this review, we survey the molecular mechanisms used by two unrelated bacterial species in their response to low pH stress. We chose to focus on two well-studied bacteria, Escherichia coli (phylum Proteobacteria) and Listeria monocytogenes (phylum Firmicutes), that have both evolved to be able to survive in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. We review the mechanisms that these species use to maintain a functional intracellular pH as well as the protective mechanisms that they deploy to prevent acid damage to macromolecules in the cells. We discuss the mechanisms used to sense acid in the environment and the regulatory processes that are activated when acid is encountered. We also highlight the specific challenges presented by organic acids. Common themes emerge from this comparison as well as unique strategies that each species uses to cope with acid stress. We highlight some of the important research questions that still need to be addressed in this fascinating field.
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Anast JM, Bobik TA, Schmitz-Esser S. The Cobalamin-Dependent Gene Cluster of Listeria monocytogenes: Implications for Virulence, Stress Response, and Food Safety. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:601816. [PMID: 33240255 PMCID: PMC7677406 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.601816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Several genes of the eut, pdu, and cob/cbi operons are responsible for the metabolism of ethanolamine (EA) and 1,2-propanediol (PD) and are essential during the pathogenic lifecycles of various enteric pathogens. Studies concerning EA and PD metabolism have primarily focused on bacterial genera from the family Enterobacteriaceae, especially the genus Salmonella. Listeria monocytogenes is a member of the Firmicutes phylum and is the causative agent of the rare but highly fatal foodborne disease listeriosis. The eut, pdu, and cob/cbi operons are organized as a single large locus collectively referred to as the cobalamin-dependent gene cluster (CDGC). The CDGC is well conserved in L. monocytogenes; however, functional characterization of the genes in this cluster and how they may contribute to Listeria virulence and stress tolerance in food production environments is highly limited. Previous work suggests that the degradation pathway of PD is essential for L. monocytogenes establishment in the gastrointestinal tract. In contrast, EA metabolism may be more important during intracellular replication. Other studies indicate that the CDGC is utilized when L. monocytogenes is exposed to food and food production relevant stress conditions. Perhaps most noteworthy, L. monocytogenes exhibits attenuated growth at cold temperatures when a key EA utilization pathway gene was deleted. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge of these pathways in L. monocytogenes and their significance in virulence and stress tolerance, especially considering recent developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Anast
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States.,Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Thomas A Bobik
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States.,Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Stephan Schmitz-Esser
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States.,Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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The transcriptome of Listeria monocytogenes during co-cultivation with cheese rind bacteria suggests adaptation by induction of ethanolamine and 1,2-propanediol catabolism pathway genes. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233945. [PMID: 32701964 PMCID: PMC7377500 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The survival of Listeria (L.) monocytogenes in foods and food production environments (FPE) is dependent on several genes that increase tolerance to stressors; this includes competing with intrinsic bacteria. We aimed to uncover genes that are differentially expressed (DE) in L. monocytogenes sequence type (ST) 121 strain 6179 when co-cultured with cheese rind bacteria. L. monocytogenes was cultivated in broth or on plates with either a Psychrobacter or Brevibacterium isolate from cheese rinds. RNA was extracted from co-cultures in broth after two or 12 hours and from plates after 24 and 72 hours. Broth co-cultivations with Brevibacterium or Psychrobacter yielded up to 392 and 601 DE genes, while plate co-cultivations significantly affected the expression of up to 190 and 485 L. monocytogenes genes, respectively. Notably, the transcription of virulence genes encoding the Listeria adhesion protein and Listeriolysin O were induced during plate and broth co-cultivations. The expression of several systems under the control of the global stress gene regulator, σB, increased during co-cultivation. A cobalamin-dependent gene cluster, responsible for the catabolism of ethanolamine and 1,2-propanediol, was upregulated in both broth and plate co-cultures conditions. Finally, a small non-coding (nc)RNA, Rli47, was induced after 72 hours of co-cultivation on plates and accounted for 50-90% of the total reads mapped to L. monocytogenes. A recent study has shown that Rli47 may contribute to L. monocytogenes stress survival by slowing growth during stress conditions through the suppression of branch-chained amino acid biosynthesis. We hypothesize that Rli47 may have an impactful role in the response of L. monocytogenes to co-cultivation by regulating a complex network of metabolic and virulence mechanisms.
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Guerreiro DN, Arcari T, O'Byrne CP. The σ B-Mediated General Stress Response of Listeria monocytogenes: Life and Death Decision Making in a Pathogen. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1505. [PMID: 32733414 PMCID: PMC7358398 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensing and responding to environmental cues is critical for the adaptability and success of the food-borne bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. A supramolecular multi-protein complex known as the stressosome, which acts as a stress sensing hub, is responsible for orchestrating the activation of a signal transduction pathway resulting in the activation of σB, the sigma factor that controls the general stress response (GSR). When σB is released from the anti-sigma factor RsbW, a rapid up-regulation of the large σB regulon, comprised of ≥ 300 genes, ensures that cells respond appropriately to the new environmental conditions. A diversity of stresses including low pH, high osmolarity, and blue light are known to be sensed by the stressosome, resulting in a generalized increase in stress resistance. Appropriate activation of the stressosome and deployment of σB are critical to fitness as there is a trade-off between growth and stress protection when the GSR is deployed. We review the recent developments in this field and describe an up-to-date model of how this sensory organelle might integrate environmental signals to produce an appropriate activation of the GSR. Some of the outstanding questions and challenges in this fascinating field are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duarte N Guerreiro
- Bacterial Stress Response Group, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Talia Arcari
- Bacterial Stress Response Group, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Conor P O'Byrne
- Bacterial Stress Response Group, Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
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