scholarly journals Listeria monocytogenes Associated with New Zealand Seafood Production and Clinical Cases: Unique Sequence Types, Truncated InlA, and Attenuated Invasiveness

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 1489-1497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina D. Cruz ◽  
Andrew R. Pitman ◽  
Sally A. Harrow ◽  
Graham C. Fletcher

ABSTRACTListeriosis is caused by the food-borne pathogenListeria monocytogenes, which can be found in seafood and processing plants. To evaluate the risk to human health associated with seafood production in New Zealand, multi-virulence-locus sequence typing (MVLST) was used to define the sequence types (STs) of 31L. monocytogenesisolates collected from seafood-processing plants, 15 from processed foods, and 6 from human listeriosis cases. The STs of these isolates were then compared with those from a collection of seafood isolates and epidemic strains from overseas. A total of 17 STs from New Zealand clustered into two lineages: seafood-related isolates in lineages I and II and all human isolates in lineage II. None of the New Zealand STs matched previously described STs from other countries. Isolates (belonging to ST01-N and ST03-N) from mussels and their processing environments, however, were identical to those of sporadic listeriosis cases in New Zealand. ST03-N isolates (16 from mussel-processing environments, 2 from humans, and 1 from a mussel) contained aninlApremature stop codon (PMSC) mutation. Therefore, the levels of invasiveness of 22 isolates from ST03-N and the three other common STs were compared using human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cell lines. STs carryinginlAPMSCs, including ST03-N isolates associated with clinical cases, had a low invasion phenotype. The close relatedness of some clinical and environmental strains, as revealed by identical MVLST profiles, suggests that local and persistent environmental strains in seafood-processing environments pose a potential health risk. Furthermore, a PMSC ininlAdoes not appear to giveL. monocytogenesa noninvasive profile.

2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (10) ◽  
pp. 3391-3397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Holch ◽  
Caroline Trebbien Gottlieb ◽  
Marianne Halberg Larsen ◽  
Hanne Ingmer ◽  
Lone Gram

ABSTRACT We determined mammalian cell invasion and virulence gene (inlA, inlB, and actA) sequences of Listeria monocytogenes strains belonging to a molecular subtype (RAPD 9) that often persists in Danish fish-processing plants. These strains invaded human placental trophoblasts less efficiently than other L. monocytogenes strains, including clinical strains, and they carry a premature stop codon in inlA. Eight of 15 strains, including the RAPD 9 and maternofetal strains, had a 105-nucleotide deletion in actA that did not affect cell-to-cell spread in mouse fibroblasts. The RAPD 9 strains may still be regarded as of low virulence with respect to human listeriosis.


2017 ◽  
Vol 85 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mylène M. Maury ◽  
Viviane Chenal-Francisque ◽  
Hélène Bracq-Dieye ◽  
Lei Han ◽  
Alexandre Leclercq ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes depends on the ability of this bacterium to escape from the phagosome of the host cells via the action of the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO). Expression of the LLO-encoding gene (hly) requires the transcriptional activator PrfA, and both hly and prfA genes are essential for L. monocytogenes virulence. Here, we used the hemolytic activity of LLO as a phenotypic marker to screen for spontaneous virulence-attenuating mutations in L. monocytogenes. Sixty nonhemolytic isolates were identified among a collection of 57,820 confirmed L. monocytogenes strains isolated from a variety of sources (0.1%). In most cases (56/60; 93.3%), the nonhemolytic phenotype resulted from nonsense, missense, or frameshift mutations in prfA. Five strains carried hly mutations leading to a single amino acid substitution (G299V) or a premature stop codon causing strong virulence attenuation in mice. In one strain, both hly and gshF (encoding a glutathione synthase required for full PrfA activity) were missing due to genomic rearrangements likely caused by a transposable element. The PrfA/LLO loss-of-function (PrfA−/LLO−) mutants belonged to phylogenetically diverse clades of L. monocytogenes, and most were identified among nonclinical strains (57/60). Consistent with the rare occurrence of loss-of-virulence mutations, we show that prfA and hly are under purifying selection. Although occurring at a low frequency, PrfA−/LLO− mutational events in L. monocytogenes lead to niche restriction and open an evolutionary path for obligate saprophytism in this facultative intracellular pathogen.


Genes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviana Toledo ◽  
Henk den Bakker ◽  
Juan Hormazábal ◽  
Gerardo González-Rocha ◽  
Helia Bello-Toledo ◽  
...  

Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of listeriosis, which is an uncommon but severe infection associated with high mortality rates in humans especially in high-risk groups. This bacterium survives a variety of stress conditions (e.g., high osmolality, low pH), which allows it to colonize different niches especially niches found in food processing environments. Additionally, a considerable heterogeneity in pathogenic potential has been observed in different strains. In this study, 38 isolates of L. monocytogenes collected in Chile from clinical samples (n = 22) and non-clinical samples (n = 16) were analyzed using whole genome sequencing (WGS) to determine their genomic diversity. A core genome Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) tree using 55 additional L. monocytogenes accessions classified the Chilean isolates in lineages I (n = 25) and II (n = 13). In silico, Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) differentiated the isolates into 13 sequence types (ST) in which the most common were ST1 (15 isolates) and ST9 (6 isolates) and represented 55% of the isolates. Genomic elements associated with virulence (i.e., LIPI-1, LIPI-3, inlA, inlB, inlC, inlG, inlH, inlD, inlE, inlK, inlF, and inlJ) and stress survival (i.e., stress survival islet 1 and stress survival islet 2) were unevenly distributed among clinical and non-clinical isolates. In addition, one novel inlA premature stop codon (PMSC) was detected. Comparative analysis of L. monocytogenes circulating in Chile revealed the presence of globally distributed sequence types along with differences among the isolates analyzed at a genomic level specifically associated with virulence and stress survival.


2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (14) ◽  
pp. 4363-4370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Nohra ◽  
Alex Grinberg ◽  
Anne C. Midwinter ◽  
Jonathan C. Marshall ◽  
Julie M. Collins-Emerson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTCampylobacteriosis is one of the most important foodborne diseases worldwide and a significant health burden in New Zealand.Campylobacter jejuniis the predominant species worldwide, accounting for approximately 90% of human cases, followed byCampylobacter coli. Most studies in New Zealand have focused onC. jejuni; hence, the impact ofC. colistrains on human health is not well understood. The aim of this study was to genotypeC. coliisolates collected in the Manawatu region of New Zealand from clinical cases, fresh poultry meat, ruminant feces, and environmental water sources, between 2005 and 2014, to study their population structure and estimate the contribution of each source to the burden of human disease.Campylobacterisolates were identified by PCR and typed by multilocus sequence typing.C. coliaccounted for 2.9% (n =47/1,601) ofCampylobacterisolates from human clinical cases, 9.6% (n =108/1,123) from poultry, 13.4% (n =49/364) from ruminants, and 6.4% (n =11/171) from water. Molecular subtyping revealed 27 different sequence types (STs), of which 18 belonged to clonal complex ST-828. ST-1581 was the most prevalentC. colisequence type isolated from both human cases (n =12/47) and poultry (n =44/110). When classified using cladistics, all sequence types belonged to clade 1 except ST-7774, which belonged to clade 2. ST-854, ST-1590, and ST-4009 were isolated only from human cases and fresh poultry, while ST-3232 was isolated only from human cases and ruminant sources. Modeling indicated ruminants and poultry as the main sources ofC. colihuman infection.IMPORTANCEWe performed a molecular epidemiological study ofCampylobacter coliinfection in New Zealand, one of few such studies globally. This study analyzed the population genetic structure of the bacterium and included a probabilistic source attribution model covering different animal and water sources. The results are discussed in a global context.


2021 ◽  
Vol 87 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessika Nowak ◽  
Sandra B. Visnovsky ◽  
Andrew R. Pitman ◽  
Cristina D. Cruz ◽  
Jon Palmer ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous foodborne pathogen that results in a high rate of mortality in sensitive and immunocompromised people. Contamination of food with L. monocytogenes is thought to occur during food processing, most often as a result of the pathogen producing a biofilm that persists in the environment and acting as the source for subsequent dispersal of cells onto food. A survey of seafood-processing plants in New Zealand identified the persistent strain 15G01, which has a high capacity to form biofilms. In this study, a transposon library of L. monocytogenes 15G01 was screened for mutants with altered biofilm formation, assessed by a crystal violet assay, to identify genes involved in biofilm formation. This screen identified 36 transposants that showed a significant change in biofilm formation compared to the wild type. The insertion sites were in 27 genes, 20 of which led to decreased biofilm formation and seven to an increase. Two insertions were in intergenic regions. Annotation of the genes suggested that they are involved in diverse cellular processes, including stress response, autolysis, transporter systems, and cell wall/membrane synthesis. Analysis of the biofilms produced by the transposants using scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy showed notable differences in the structure of the biofilms compared to the wild type. In particular, inactivation of uvrB and mltD produced coccoid-shaped cells and elongated cells in long chains, respectively, and the mgtB mutant produced a unique biofilm with a sandwich structure which was reversed to the wild-type level upon magnesium addition. The mltD transposant was successfully complemented with the wild-type gene, whereas the phenotypes were not or only partially restored for the remaining mutants. IMPORTANCE The major source of contamination of food with Listeria monocytogenes is thought to be due to biofilm formation and/or persistence in food-processing plants. By establishing as a biofilm, L. monocytogenes cells become harder to eradicate due to their increased resistance to environmental threats. Understanding the genes involved in biofilm formation and their influence on biofilm structure will help identify new ways to eliminate harmful biofilms in food processing environments. To date, multiple genes have been identified as being involved in biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes; however, the exact mechanism remains unclear. This study identified four genes associated with biofilm formation by a persistent strain. Extensive microscopic analysis illustrated the effect of the disruption of mgtB, clsA, uvrB, and mltD and the influence of magnesium on the biofilm structure. The results strongly suggest an involvement in biofilm formation for the four genes and provide a basis for further studies to analyze gene regulation to assess the specific role of these biofilm-associated genes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarina Novović ◽  
Anika Trudić ◽  
Snežana Brkić ◽  
Zorica Vasiljević ◽  
Milan Kojić ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Twenty-seven colistin-resistant, carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were identified from hospitals in Serbia. All isolates were bla CTX-M-15 positive; ST101, ST888, ST437, ST336, and ST307 were bla OXA-48 positive; and ST340 was bla NDM-1 positive. ST307 had an insertion, and ST336 had a premature stop codon in the mgrB gene. Amino acid substitutions were detected in PmrAB of isolates ST101, ST888, ST336, and ST307. The mcr-1 and mcr-2 were not detected. An increase in phoP, phoQ, and pmrK gene transcription was detected for all sequence types.


2013 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 1799-1806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Holch ◽  
Hanne Ingmer ◽  
Tine Rask Licht ◽  
Lone Gram

Listeria monocytogenes is an important food-borne bacterial pathogen and listeriosis can result in abortions in pregnant women. The bacterium can colonize food-processing environments, where specific molecular subtypes can persist for years. The purpose of this study was to determine the virulence potential of a group of food-processing persistent L. monocytogenes strains encoding a premature stop codon in inlA (encoding internalin A) by using two orally dosed models, pregnant mice and pregnant guinea pigs. A food-processing persistent strain of L. monocytogenes invaded placentas (n = 58; 10 % positive) and fetuses (3 % positive) of pregnant mice (n = 9 animals per strain), similar to a genetically manipulated murinized strain, EGD-e InlA m* (n = 61; 3 and 2 %, respectively). In pregnant guinea pigs (n = 9 animals per bacterial strain), a maternofetal strain (from a human fetal clinical fatal case) was isolated from 34 % of placenta samples (n = 50), whereas both food-processing persistent strains were found in 5 % of placenta samples (n = 36 or 37). One of the food-processing persistent strains, N53-1, was found in up to 8 % of guinea pig fetal liver and brain samples, whereas the maternofetal control was found in 6 % of fetal tissue samples. As the food-processing persistent strains carry a premature stop codon in inlA but are invasive in orally dosed pregnant mice and guinea pigs, we hypothesize that listerial crossing of the placental barrier can occur by a mechanism that is independent of an interaction between E-cadherin and InlA.


BMC Genomics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Palma ◽  
Thomas Brauge ◽  
Nicolas Radomski ◽  
Ludovic Mallet ◽  
Arnaud Felten ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (27) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hue Thi Kim Vu ◽  
Matthew J. Stasiewicz ◽  
Soottawat Benjakul ◽  
Kitiya Vongkamjan

We report here the complete genome sequences of three Listeria phages (PSU-VKH-LP019, PSU-VKH-LP040, and PSU-VKH-LP041), which were newly induced from lysogenic isolates of Listeria monocytogenes from seafood and a seafood processing environment in Thailand. The three phages show circularly permuted double-stranded DNA genomes with sizes of 38.6, 39.6, and 48.3 kb.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (24) ◽  
pp. 8339-8345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clyde S. Manuel ◽  
Anna Van Stelten ◽  
Martin Wiedmann ◽  
Kendra K. Nightingale ◽  
Renato H. Orsi

ABSTRACTInListeria monocytogenes, 18 mutations leading to premature stop codons (PMSCs) in the virulence geneinlAhave been identified to date. While most of these mutations represent nucleotide substitutions, a frameshift deletion in a 5′ seven-adenine homopolymeric tract (HT) ininlAhas also been reported. This HT may play a role in phase variation and was first identified amongL. monocytogeneslineage II ribotype DUP-1039C isolates. In order to better understand the distribution of differentinlAmutations in this ribotype, a newly developed multiplex real-time PCR assay was used to screen 368 DUP-1039C isolates from human, animal, and food-associated sources for three known 5′inlAHT alleles: (i) wild-type (WT) (A7), (ii) frameshift (FS) (A6), and (iii) guanine interruption (A2GA4) alleles. Additionally, 228 DUP-1039C isolates were screened for allinlAPMSCs; data on the presence of allinlAPMSCs for the other 140 isolates were obtained from previous studies. The statistical analysis based on 191 epidemiologically unrelated strains showed that strains withinlAPMSC mutations (n= 41) were overrepresented among food-associated isolates, while strains encoding full-length InlA (n= 150) were overrepresented among isolates from farm animals and their environments. Furthermore, the A6allele was overrepresented and the A7allele was underrepresented among food isolates, while the A6allele was underrepresented among farm and animal isolates. Our results indicate that genetic variation ininlAcontributes to niche adaptation within the lineage II subtype DUP-1039C.


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