A PCR method based on 16S rRNA sequence for simultaneous detection of the genus Listeria and the species Listeria monocytogenes in food products

Green synthesis of cellulose nanocrystal/ZnO bio-nanocomposites exerting antibacterial activity and downregulating virulence toxigenic genes of food-poisoning bacteria

Recently, cellulose nanocrystals (CNs) have attracted wide attention owing to their superior properties compared to their bulk materials. For example, they represent an outstanding model for fabricating green metallic/metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs). In this study, two CNs (carboxylated CNs and sulfated CNs) extracted from agro-wastes of palm sheath fibers were used as templates for the facile and green synthesis of ZnO NPs by employing the sono-co-precipitation method. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized using TEM, EDX, UV–visible, DLS, FT-IR, and XRD analysis. As a result, the size and concentration of synthesized ZnO NPs were inversely proportional to one another and were affected by the CNs utilized and the reaction temperature used. Contagious diseases incited by multifarious toxigenic bacteria present severe threats to human health. The fabricated bio-nanocomposites were evaluated in terms of their antimicrobial efficacy by agar well diffusion method and broth microdilution assay, showing that CN–ZnO bio-nanocomposites were effective against the tested Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Salmonella) and Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. The influence of the subinhibitory concentrations of these suspensions on the expression of the most critical virulence toxin genes of the tested strains was effective. Significant downregulation levels were observed through toxigenic operons to both fabricated CN–ZnO bio-nanocomposites with a fold change ranging from 0.004 to 0.510, revealing a decline in the capacity and virulence of microorganisms to pose infections. Therefore, these newly fabricated CNS–ZnO bio-nanocomposites could be employed rationally in food systems as a novel preservative to inhibit microbial growth and repress the synthesis of exotoxins.

Listeria monocytogenes in foods-From culture identification to whole-genome characteristics

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen, which is able to persist in the food production environments. The presence of these bacteria in different niches makes them a potential threat for public health. In the present review, the current information on the classical and alternative methods used for isolation and identification of L. monocytogenes in food have been described. Although these techniques are usually simple, standardized, inexpensive, and are routinely used in many food testing laboratories, several alternative molecular-based approaches for the bacteria detection in food and food production environments have been developed. They are characterized by the high sample throughput, a short time of analysis, and cost-effectiveness. However, these methods are important for the routine testing toward the presence and number of L. monocytogenes, but are not suitable for characteristics and typing of the bacterial isolates, which are crucial in the study of listeriosis infections. For these purposes, novel approaches, with a high discriminatory power to genetically distinguish the strains during epidemiological studies, have been developed, e.g., whole-genome sequence-based techniques such as NGS which provide an opportunity to perform comparison between strains of the same species. In the present review, we have shown a short description of the principles of microbiological, alternative, and modern methods of detection of L. monocytogenes in foods and characterization of the isolates for epidemiological purposes. According to our knowledge, similar comprehensive papers on such subject have not been recently published, and we hope that the current review may be interesting for research communities.

Prevalence, Antibiogram and Genetic Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes from Food Products in Egypt

World Health Organization classified Listeria monocytogenes as a major notable foodborne pathogen associated with high mortality and hospitalization. The study reports the prevalence, antibiogram, virulence determination and genetic characterization of L. monocytogenes from different food products. A total of 250 food samples, fifty samples each from raw milk, ice cream, minced meat, fish fillet and sausage were collected from the Menoufiya governorate in Egypt. L. monocytogenes was detected in 17 (6.8%) of the tested food samples including minced meat (14%), fish fillet (8%), sausage (6%) and raw milk (6%). The antimicrobial susceptibility assay of 17 L. monocytogenes isolates against seventeen antibiotics belonging to eight antibiotics classes revealed a high susceptibility to norfloxacin (82.3%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (76.4%), cefotaxime (70.5%), erythromycin (64.6%), amoxicillin (64.6%), gentamicin (58.7%) and vancomycin (58.7%). While, high resistance was observed against oxytetracycline (76.4%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (76.4%), chloramphenicol (70.5%), doxycycline (64.6%), levofloxacin (41.2%) and azithromycin (41.2%). Of note, all L. monocytogenes isolates were multidrug-resistant. The multiplex PCR successfully amplified L. monocytogenes in all tested isolates. Screening of the five virulence-related genes revealed the hlyA and iap as the most prevalent genes followed by actA gene, however, the inlA and prfA genes were not detected in any of the studied isolates. The partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing of three L. monocytogenes isolates showed a high nucleotide similarity (99.1–99.8%) between the study isolates and various global clones, and phylogenetic analysis clustered these L. monocytogenes strains with other Listeria species including L. welshimeri, L. seeligeri and L. innocua. This study demonstrates the impact of L. monocytogenes as a major contaminant of various food products and suggests more attention to the awareness and hygienic measures in the food industry.

The Novel Multiple Inner Primers-Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (MIP-LAMP) for Rapid Detection and Differentiation of Listeria monocytogenes

Here, a novel model of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), termed multiple inner primers-LAMP (MIP-LAMP), was devised and successfully applied to detect Listeria monocytogenes. A set of 10 specific MIP-LAMP primers, which recognized 14 different regions of target gene, was designed to target a sequence in the hlyA gene. The MIP-LAMP assay efficiently amplified the target element within 35 min at 63 °C and was evaluated for sensitivity and specificity. The templates were specially amplified in the presence of the genomic DNA from L. monocytogenes. The limit of detection (LoD) of MIP-LAMP assay was 62.5 fg/reaction using purified L. monocytogenes DNA. The LoD for DNA isolated from serial dilutions of L. monocytogenes cells in buffer and in milk corresponded to 2.4 CFU and 24 CFU, respectively. The amplified products were analyzed by real-time monitoring of changes in turbidity, and visualized by adding Loop Fluorescent Detection Reagent (FD), or as a ladder-like banding pattern on gel electrophoresis. A total of 48 pork samples were investigated for L. monocytogenes by the novel MIP-LAMP method, and the diagnostic accuracy was shown to be 100% when compared to the culture-biotechnical method. In conclusion, the MIP-LAMP methodology was demonstrated to be a reliable, sensitive and specific tool for rapid detection of L. monocytogenes strains.

Rapid and sensitive detection of Listeria monocytogenes by cross-priming amplification of lmo0733 gene

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that causes severe opportunistic infection in humans and animals. This study reports the development of single cross-priming amplification (S-CPA) and double CPA (D-CPA) assays targeting species-specific gene lmo0733 for identifying L. monocytogenes strains. The CPA assays were performed at a constant temperature 64 °C using seven specific primers and evaluated for specificity and sensitivity. The color change of positive amplification was directly observed by Loopamp^® Fluorescent Detection Reagent (FD), and the DNA products were visualized as a ladder-like banding pattern on 2.5% gel electrophoresis. Moreover, the positive reactions were also detected by real-time measurement of turbidity. 50 L. monocytogenes and 46 non-L. monocytogenes strains were used for the method verification, and the specificity was 100%. The limit of detection (LoD) of the S-CPA and D-CPA assays was 2.5 pg DNA per reaction and 10-fold more sensitive than PCR. A total of 60 pork samples were tested for L. monocytogenes using the S-CPA assay developed in the study, and the accuracy of the S-CPA and the culture-biotechnical method was 100% identical. The results suggested that the S-CPA assay was a rapid, sensitive, and valuable tool for detection of L. monocytogenes in food products.

Selection and characterization of DNA aptamers specific for Listeria species

Single-stranded (ss) DNA aptamers with binding affinity to Listeria spp. were selected using a whole-cell SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) method. Listeria monocytogenes cells were grown at 37°C and harvested at mid-log phase or early stationary phase to serve as the targets in SELEX. A total of 10 unique aptamer sequences were identified, six associated with log phase cells and four with stationary phase cells. Binding affinity of the aptamers was determined using flow cytometry and ranged from 10% to 44%. Four candidates having high binding affinity were further studied and found to show genus-specific binding affinity when screened against five different species within the Listeria genus. Using sequential binding assays combined with flow cytometry, it was determined that three of the aptamers (LM6-2, LM12-6, and LM12-13) bound to one apparent cell surface moiety, while a fourth aptamer (LM6-116) appeared to bind to a different cell surface region. This is the first study in which SELEX targeted bacterial cells at different growth phases. When used together, aptamers that bind to different cell surface moieties could increase the analytical sensitivity of future capture and detection assays.

Molecular approaches to the identification of pathogenic and nonpathogenic listeriae

The genus Listeria consists of a closely related group of Gram-positive bacteria that commonly occur in the environment and demonstrate varied pathogenic potential. Of the 10 species identified to date, L. monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen of both humans and animals, L. ivanovii mainly infects ungulates (eg., sheep and cattle), while other species (L. innocua, L. seeligeri, L. welshimeri, L. grayi, L. marthii, L. rocourtiae, L. fleischmannii and L. weihenstephanensis) are essentially saprophytes. Within the species of L. monocytogenes, several serovars (e.g., 4b, 1/2a, 1/2b and 1/2c) are highly pathogenic and account for a majority of clinical isolations. Due to their close morphological, biological, biochemical and genetic similarities, laboratory identification of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Listeria organisms is technically challenging. With the development and application of various molecular approaches, accurate and rapid discrimination of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Listeria organisms, as well as pathogenic and nonpathogenic L. monocytogenes strains, has become possible.

Antibiofilm effect of plant derived antimicrobials on Listeria monocytogenes

The present study investigated the efficacy of sub-inhibitory concentrations (SICs, concentrations not inhibiting bacterial growth) and bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of four, generally recognized as safe (GRAS), plant-derived antimicrobials (PDAs) in inhibiting Listeria monocytogenes (LM) biofilm formation and inactivating mature LM biofilms, at 37, 25 and 4 °C on polystyrene plates and stainless-steel coupons. In addition, the effect of SICs of PDAs on the expression of LM genes critical for biofilm synthesis was determined by real-time quantitative PCR. The PDAs and their SICs used for inhibition of biofilm were trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC 0.50, 0.75 mM), carvacrol (CR 0.50, 0.65 mM), thymol (TY 0.33, 0.50 mM), and eugenol (EG 1.8, 2.5 mM), whereas the PDA concentrations used for inactivating mature biofilms were 5.0 and 10.0 mM (TC, CR), 3.3 and 5.0 mM (TY), 18.5 and 25.0 mM (EG). All PDAs inhibited biofilm synthesis and inactivated fully formed LM biofilms on both matrices at three temperatures tested (P < 0.05). Real-time quantitative PCR data revealed that all PDAs down-regulated critical LM biofilm-associated genes (P < 0.05). Results suggest that TC, CR, TY, and EG could potentially be used to control LM biofilms in food processing environments, although further studies under commercial settings are necessary.

Diagnosis of Listeria monocytogenes meningoencephalitis by real-time PCR for the hly gene

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen that can invade the central nervous system (CNS), causing meningoencephalitis and brain abscesses. The diagnosis of CNS listeriosis, based on the isolation of the bacteria in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), can be difficult because of previous antibiotic treatment and a low number of bacteria in the CSF. To improve the sensitivity of microbiological diagnosis, we have developed a real-time PCR assay for detecting and quantifying L. monocytogenes DNA in the CSF. The designed primers specifically amplify the L. monocytogenes hly gene, which encodes listeriolysin O, a pore-forming cytolysin. The PCR assay for the hly gene (PCR-hly) provides reproducible quantitative results over a wide dynamic range of concentrations and was highly sensitive while detecting a single gene copy/ml. By assaying a large panel of bacterial species, including species secreting pore-forming cytolysin, we determined the specificity of the PCR-hly, which exclusively detects the L. monocytogenes DNA. We then analyzed 214 CSF samples from patients suspected of having CNS listeriosis. PCR-hly was positive in all cases in which L. monocytogenes was isolated by culture. Positive PCR-hly of the CSF was also obtained for five additional, clinically confirmed cases of CNS listeriosis for which bacterial cultures were negative presumably due to previous treatment with antibiotics. As a complement to classical bacteriological CSF culture, our designed real-time PCR-hly assay proved to be valuable by enhancing the rapidity and the accuracy of the diagnosis of CNS infection by L. monocytogenes. In addition, the quantitative results provided may, in some instances, be useful for the follow-up of patients under treatment.

Quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in minimally processed leafy vegetables using a combined method based on enrichment and 16S rRNA real-time PCR

Modern lifestyle markedly changed eating habits worldwide, with an increasing demand for ready-to-eat foods, such as minimally processed fruits and leafy greens. Packaging and storage conditions of those products may favor the growth of psychrotrophic bacteria, including the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. In this work, minimally processed leafy vegetables samples (n = 162) from retail market from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, were tested for the presence or absence of Listeria spp. by the immunoassay Listeria Rapid Test, Oxoid. Two L. monocytogenes positive and six artificially contaminated samples of minimally processed leafy vegetables were evaluated by the Most Probable Number (MPN) with detection by classical culture method and also culture method combined with real-time PCR (RTi-PCR) for 16S rRNA genes of L. monocytogenes. Positive MPN enrichment tubes were analyzed by RTi-PCR with primers specific for L. monocytogenes using the commercial preparation ABSOLUTE QPCR SYBR Green Mix (ABgene, UK). Real-time PCR assay presented good exclusivity and inclusivity results and no statistical significant difference was found in comparison with the conventional culture method (p < 0.05). Moreover, RTi-PCR was fast and easy to perform, with MPN results obtained in ca. 48 h for RTi-PCR in comparison to 7 days for conventional method.

Liposome-enhanced lateral-flow assays for the sandwich-hybridization detection of RNA

Clinical and environmental analyses frequently necessitate rapid, simple, and inexpensive point-of-care or field tests. These semiquantitative tests may be later followed up by confirmatory laboratory-based assays, but can provide an initial scenario assessment important for resource mobilization and threat confinement. Lateral-flow assays (LFAs) and dip-stick assays, which are typically antibody-based and yield a visually detectable signal, provide an assay format suiting these applications extremely well. Signal generation is commonly obtained through the use of colloidal gold or latex beads, which yield a colored band either directly proportional or inversely proportional to the concentration of the analyte of interest. Here, dye-encapsulating liposomes as an alternative are discussed. The LFA biosensors described in this chapter rely on the sandwich-hybridization of a nucleic acid sequence-based amplified (NASBA) mRNA target between a membrane immobilized capture probe and a visible dye (sulforhodamine B)-encapsulating liposome conjugated reporter probe. Although the methodology of this chapter is focused on LFAs for the detection of RNA through sandwich hybridization, the information within can be readily adapted for sandwich and competitive immunoassays. Included are an introduction and application notes toward this end. These include notes ranging from the detection of nonamplified RNA and single-stranded DNA, conjugation protocols for antibodies and other proteins to liposomes, and universal assay formats.

Comparison of multiplex PCR with conventional biochemical methods for the identification of Listeria spp. isolates from food and clinical samples in Queensland, Australia

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen with high mortality. L. monocytogenes and five other Listeria species can frequently be found in the same sample. To identify Listeria isolates found in foods to the species level, two multiplex PCRs were designed. The PCR and conventional biochemical methods were compared for the identification of 456 Listeria isolates collected from routine food quality monitoring schemes between June 2004 and February 2006 and for 62 L. monocytogenes isolates from patients between 1999 and 2005. The results showed that the PCR and biochemical methods had 100% agreement in Listeria identification. The distribution of Listeria species from foods was as follows: L. monocytogenes, 50.4%; L. innocua, 33.8%; L. welshimeri, 14.9%; L. seeligeri, 0.7%; L. grayi, 0.2%; and L. ivanovii, 0.0%. Additional analyses were performed to identify the major serotypes (1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c, and 4b) and the three lineages of L. monocytogenes isolates from foods and patients, with 1/2a (69.6%) and 1/2b (21.7%) dominating the food isolates and 1/2b (54.8%) and 4b (30.7%) dominating the patient isolates. The lineage results showed that isolates of 1/2a and 1/2c belonged to lineage II and that isolates of 1/2b and 4b belonged to lineage I. The multiplex PCRs for Listeria identification that have been established provide an accurate and rapid method for food quality control. This study has provided the basic knowledge of distribution of Listeria species and L. monocytogenes serotypes in Queensland, Australia, which is useful for epidemiological investigations of listeriosis.

Vibrio vulnificus typing based on simple sequence repeats: insights into the biotype 3 group

Vibrio vulnificus is an opportunistic, highly invasive human pathogen with worldwide distribution. V. vulnificus strains are commonly divided into three biochemical groups (biotypes), most members of which are pathogenic. Simple sequence repeats (SSR) provide a source of high-level genomic polymorphism used in bacterial typing. Here, we describe the use of variations in mutable SSR loci for accurate and rapid genotyping of V. vulnificus. An in silico screen of the genomes of two V. vulnificus strains revealed thousands of SSR tracts. Twelve SSR with core motifs longer than 5 bp in a panel of 32 characterized and 56 other V. vulnificus isolates, including both clinical and environmental isolates from all three biotypes, were tested for polymorphism. All tested SSR were polymorphic, and diversity indices ranged from 0.17 to 0.90, allowing a high degree of discrimination among isolates (27 of 32 characterized isolates). Genetic analysis of the SSR data resulted in the clear distinction of isolates that belong to the highly virulent biotype 3 group. Despite the clonal nature of this new group, SSR analysis demonstrated high-level discriminatory power within the biotype 3 group, as opposed to other molecular methods that failed to differentiate these isolates. Thus, SSR are suitable for rapid typing and classification of V. vulnificus strains by high-throughput capillary electrophoresis methods. SSR (>/=5 bp) by their nature enable the identification of variations occurring on a small scale and, therefore, may provide new insights into the newly emerged biotype 3 group of V. vulnificus and may be used as an efficient tool in epidemiological studies.

Real-time PCR detection of 16S rRNA genes speeds most-probable-number enumeration of foodborne Listeria monocytogenes

Quantifying foodborne pathogens at concentrations of 0.1 to 1,000 CFU/g of food generally involves most-probable-number (MPN) enumeration, which takes at least 4 days. A real-time PCR assay (RTi-PCR) was developed to accelerate MPN enumeration of foodborne Listeria monocytogenes. Foods were spiked from 70 to 110 CFU/g, and triplicate subportions from 0.0001 to 1 g were selectively enriched for 48 h at 30 degrees C. For standard MPN enumeration, the enrichments were subcultured on Oxford agar (48 h at 35 degrees C) to isolate Listeria. For RTi-PCR MPN, the L. monocytogenes cells from the same enrichments were washed and resuspended in 2 ml of sterile water. DNA was extracted by boiling for 10 min. The DNA in the extract's supernatant was targeted with published oligonucleotide primers for amplifying an Lmo-specific sequence of 16S rRNA genes. Amplification was continuously monitored with SYBR Green. The resulting amplicon was characterized by its melting temperature. The L. monocytogenes specificity of the primers was confirmed by testing L. monocytogenes (15 strains), Listeria innocua (11 strains), and Listeria welshimeri, Listeria seeligeri, Listeria ivanovii, and Listeria grayi (1 strain each). Quantitatively spiked milk, lettuce, smoked salmon, Brie cheese, ice cream, pork pâté, salami, ready-to-eat shrimp, raw ground beef, and fresh soft cheese were enumerated by both the standard and the PCR MPN method. The paired results from the two MPN methods agreed well, except for the fresh cheese. For some foods, l-g samples required a decimal dilution for a positive test result, suggesting concentration-dependent food ingredient interference with the RTi-PCR. This RTi-PCR method reduced the time necessary for the MPN enumeration of foodborne L. monocytogenes from 4 to 2 days.

Vibrio cholerae strain typing and phylogeny study based on simple sequence repeats

Vibrio cholerae is the etiological agent of cholera. Its natural reservoir is the aquatic environment. To date, practical typing of V. cholerae is mainly serological and requires about 200 antisera. Simple sequence repeats (SSR), also termed VNTR (for variable number of tandem repeats), provide a source of high genomic polymorphism used in bacterial typing. Here we describe an SSR-based typing method that combines the variation in highly mutable SSR loci, with that of shorter, relatively more stable mononucleotide repeat (MNR) loci, for accurate and rapid typing of V. cholerae. In silico screening of the V. cholerae genome revealed thousands of perfect SSR tracts with an average frequency of one SSR every 152 bp. A panel of 32 V. cholerae strains, representing both clinical and environmental isolates, was tested for polymorphism in SSR loci. Two strategies were applied to identify SSR variation: polymorphism of SSR tracts longer than 12 bp (L-SSR) assessed by capillary fragment-size analysis and MNR polymorphism assessed by sequencing. The nine L-SSR loci tested were all polymorphic, displaying 2 to 13 alleles per locus. Sequence analysis of eight MNR-containing loci (MNR-multilocus sequence typing [MLST]) provided information on both variations in the MNR tract itself, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in their flanking sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of the combined SSR data showed a clear discrimination between the clinical strains belonging to O1 and O139 serogroups, and the environmental isolates. Furthermore, discrimination between 27 strains of the 32 strains was achieved. SSR-based typing methods combining L-SSR and MNR-MLST were found to be efficient for V. cholerae typing.

Upstream sample processing facilitates PCR detection of Listeria monocytogenes in mayonnaise-based ready-to-eat (RTE) salads

Sample pretreatment to reduce volume and concentrate cells of the target organism(s) prior to molecular detection offers a useful supplement or alternative to cultural enrichment. The purpose of this study was to develop an upstream processing method to facilitate the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) salads by PCR. Potato salad, a model RTE commodity, was seeded with L. monocytogenes and processed by two alternative upstream sample processing methods (designated one-step and two-step centrifugation), followed by DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and Southern hybridization. The two-step method resulted in 1,000-fold improvements in the PCR detection limit, from 10(6) Cfu/g (no sample processing) to 10(3) Cfu/g. The two-step method was applied for upstream sample processing of four representative deli salad items artificially inoculated with L. monocytogenes at levels ranging from 10(1)-10(6) Cfu/g. Following DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and Southern hybridization, detection was achieved at input levels of 10(5) Cfu/g for chicken salad, 10(4) Cfu/g for macaroni salad, and 10(3) Cfu/g for potato and seafood salads. The two-step method reported here facilitates the production of a final sample concentrate of reduced volume and improved purity which was compatible with PCR amplification. This approach offers further progress in our efforts to reduce or eliminate cultural enrichment in an effort to speed time to results when applying molecular methods to the detection of pathogens in foods.

Adhesion of Vibrio cholerae to granular starches

Cholera is a severe diarrheal disease caused by specific serogroups of Vibrio cholerae that are pathogenic to humans. Cholera can become epidemic and deadly without adequate medical care. Appropriate rehydration therapy can reduce the mortality rate from as much as 50% of the affected individuals to <1%. Thus, oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is an important measure in the treatment of this disease. To further reduce the symptoms associated with cholera, improvements in oral rehydration solution (ORS) by starch incorporation were suggested. Here, we report that V. cholerae adheres to starch granules incorporated in ORS. Adhesion of 98% of the cells was observed within 2 min when cornstarch granules were used. Other starches showed varied adhesion rates, indicating that starch source and composition play an important role in the interaction of V. cholerae and starch granules. Sugars metabolized by V. cholerae showed a repressive effect on the adhesion process. The possible mechanisms involved are discussed. Comparing V. cholerae adhesion with the adhesion of other pathogens suggests the involvement of starch degradation capabilities. This adhesion to granular starch can be used to improve ORT.

Contribution of three bile-associated loci, bsh, pva, and btlB, to gastrointestinal persistence and bile tolerance of Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes must resist the deleterious actions of bile in order to infect and subsequently colonize the human gastrointestinal tract. The molecular mechanisms used by the bacterium to resist bile and the influence of bile on pathogenesis are as yet largely unexplored. This study describes the analysis of three genes--bsh, pva, and btlB--previously annotated as bile-associated loci in the sequenced L. monocytogenes EGDe genome (lmo2067, lmo0446, and lmo0754, respectively). Analysis of deletion mutants revealed a role for all three genes in resisting the acute toxicity of bile and bile salts, particularly glycoconjugated bile salts at low pH. Mutants were unaffected in the other stress responses examined (acid, salt, and detergents). Bile hydrolysis assays demonstrate that L. monocytogenes possesses only one bile salt hydrolase gene, namely, bsh. Transcriptional analyses and activity assays revealed that, although it is regulated by both PrfA and sigma(B), the latter appears to play the greater role in modulating bsh expression. In addition to being incapable of bile hydrolysis, a sigB mutant was shown to be exquisitely sensitive to bile salts. Furthermore, increased expression of sigB was detected under anaerobic conditions and during murine infection. A gene previously annotated as a possible penicillin V amidase (pva) or bile salt hydrolase was shown to be required for resistance to penicillin V but not penicillin G but did not demonstrate a role in bile hydrolysis. Finally, animal (murine) studies revealed an important role for both bsh and btlB in the intestinal persistence of L. monocytogenes.

Methods for the isolation and identification of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes: a review

Listeria monocytogenes is an important food-borne pathogen and is widely tested for in food, environmental and clinical samples. Identification traditionally involved culture methods based on selective enrichment and plating followed by the characterization of Listeria spp. based on colony morphology, sugar fermentation and haemolytic properties. These methods are the gold standard; but they are lengthy and may not be suitable for testing of foods with short shelf lives. As a result more rapid tests were developed based on antibodies (ELISA) or molecular techniques (PCR or DNA hybridization). While these tests possess equal sensitivity, they are rapid and allow testing to be completed within 48 h. More recently, molecular methods were developed that target RNA rather than DNA, such as RT-PCR, real time PCR or nucleic acid based sequence amplification (NASBA). These tests not only provide a measure of cell viability but they can also be used for quantitative analysis. In addition, a variety of tests are available for sub-species characterization, which are particularly useful in epidemiological investigations. Early typing methods differentiated isolates based on phenotypic markers, such as multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, phage typing and serotyping. These phenotypic typing methods are being replaced by molecular tests, which reflect genetic relationships between isolates and are more accurate. These new methods are currently mainly used in research but their considerable potential for routine testing in the future cannot be overlooked.

The BAX PCR assay for screening Listeria monocytogenes targets a partial putative gene lmo2234

The BAX PCR for screening Listeria monocytogenes is a commercial PCR assay for specifically targeting L. monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can contaminate a variety of foods and cause a potentially fatal disease, listeriosis, among high-risk populations. The high specificity (> 98%) of this PCR assay is achieved by targeting a species-specific genomic region (approximately 400 bp) presumably found only in L. monocytogenes. In this study, the identity of the BAX PCR-targeted genomic region was determined by using PCR cloning, DNA sequencing, and basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) analysis of the amplicon sequences of an L. monocytogenes serotype 1/2a strain. BLAST analysis identified the BAX PCR amplicon (GenBank accession no. AY364605) as a 423-bp genomic region between nucleotides 224,409 and 224,831 in the genome of L. monocytogenes (serotype 1/2a strain EGD-e), including a 145-bp noncoding region and a 278-bp partial coding sequence of a putative gene, lmo2234. The translated amino acid sequence (92 amino acids) of this partial coding region is highly conserved between L. monocytogenes and Listeria innocua (93% homology). Reverse-position-specific BLAST analysis identified a conserved domain in Lmo2234 that was similar (95.3% aligned, E value = 9E-18) to the consensus amino acid sequence of sugar phosphate isomerases/epimerases (National Center for Biotechnology Information conserved domain database accession no. COG 1082.1, IolE), indicating that Lmo2234 might be involved in bacterial carbohydrate transport and metabolism.