Project description:CadC is the transcriptional regulator of CadA, an efflux pump conferring cadmium resistance. We previously showed that during in vivo infection, Listeria monocytogenes uses CadC to directly repress the expression of the LspB lipoprotein signal peptidase, avoiding the exposure of the lipoprotein LpeA to the host immune system, impairing inflammatory cytokine expression and promoting intramacrophage survival and virulence. Here, to assess if CadC could be a widespread virulence regulator, we searched for other genes regulated by CadC using Listeria monocytogenes tiling arrays.
Project description:The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes uses a number of transcriptional regulators, including the negative regulator CtsR, to control gene expression under different environmental conditions and in response to stress. Gene expression patterns of DctsR log phase cells were compared to both wt and ictsR-mcsA log phase cells grown with 0.5mM IPTG to identify CtsR-dependent genes.We identified 62 CtsR-dependent genes that showed significant expression ratios (adj. P < 0.05), with ≥ 1.5-fold differential expression either between ΔctsR and wt or between ΔctsR and ictsR-mcsA. Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, CtsR regulon, log phase
Project description:The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes uses a number of transcriptional regulators, including the negative regulator HrcA, to control gene expression under different environmental conditions and in response to stress. Gene expression patterns of DhrcA stationary phase cells were compared to wt to identify hrcA-dependent genes. We identified 61 HrcA-dependent genes that showed significant expression ratios (adj. P < 0.05), with ≥ 1.5-fold differential expression between ΔhrcA and wt. Combined with microarray analysis, Hidden Markov Model searches show HrcA directly repress at least 8 genes. Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, HrcA regulon, stationary phase
Project description:Listeria monocytogenes cells (strain LI0521) were digested with trypsin for the identification of surface proteins. The supernatant was filter-sterilized and subjected to identification by LC-MS/MS. Concurrently secreted or shed proteins were identified by isolating filter-sterilized supernatants following incubation of L. monocytogenes cells in buffer without trypsin. This was followed by trypsin digest of the sterilized supernatant and identification by LC-MS/MS.
Project description:The stationary phase stress response transcriptome of the human bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes was defined using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) with the Illumina Genome Analyzer. Specifically, bacterial transcriptomes were compared between stationary phase cells of L. monocytogenes 10403S and an otherwise isogenic DsigB mutant, which does not express the alternative sigma factor σB, a major regulator of genes contributing to stress response. Keywords: Transcriptome and differential expression analyses
Project description:As the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes has the ability to grow at refrigeration temperatures, whole-genome microarray experiments were performed using L. monocytogenes strain 10403S to define the cold stress regulon and to identify genes differentially expressed during growth at 4°C and 37°C. Microarray analysis using a stringent cutoff (adjusted p<0.001; fold-change >2.0) revealed 105 and 170 genes that showed higher transcript levels in logarithmic- and stationary-phase cells, respectively, at 4°C (compared to cells at 37°C). A total of 74 and 102 genes showed lower transcript levels in logarithmic- and stationary-phase cells grown at 4°C, respectively. Genes upregulated at 4°C during both stationary- and log-phase included those encoding a two-component response regulator (lmo0287), a cold shock protein (cspL), and two RNA helicases (lmo0866 and lmo1722), whereas genes encoding selected virulence factors and heat shock proteins were downregulated at 4°C. Selected genes that were upregulated at 4°C during both stationary- and log-phase were confirmed by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Our data show (i) a large number of L. monocytogenes genes are differentially expressed at 4 and 37°C with a larger number of genes showing higher transcript level at 4°C than genes showing lower transcript levels at 4°C; (ii) L. monocytogenes genes upregulated at 4°C include a number of genes and operons with previously reported or plausible roles in cold adaptation; and (iii) L. monocytogenes genes downregulated at 4°C include a number of virulence and virulence-associated genes as well as some heat shock genes. Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, cold regulon, temperature
Project description:The stationary phase stress response transcriptome of the human bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes was defined using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) with the Illumina Genome Analyzer. Specifically, bacterial transcriptomes were compared between stationary phase cells of L. monocytogenes 10403S and an otherwise isogenic DsigB mutant, which does not express the alternative sigma factor M-OM-^CB, a major regulator of genes contributing to stress response. Keywords: Transcriptome and differential expression analyses a laboratory strain, 10403S and its otherwise isogenic mutant lacking sigB were analyzed. Two replicates of each strain were analyzed for a total of 4 runs
Project description:In several gram-positive bacterial genera including Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Listeria, sigma B (σB) has been identified as a stress-responsive alternative sigma factor responsible for initiating transcription of genes (the σB regulon) involved in response to stress-inducing environmental conditions. In L. monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen of considerable threat to public health and the food industry, σB is involved in regulation of stress response and virulence gene expression. We have defined the σB regulon in L. monocytogenes during early stationary phase and under salt stress (0.3M NaCl) conditions using whole-genome microarrays, identifying 168 genes that generated ≥2.0-fold higher signals in the parental strain 10403S than in an isogenic sigB null mutant (ΔsigB), categorized into nine functional groups including stress-response genes (12), virulence genes (5), and genes related to transport (26) and metabolism (45). To gain a broader biological perspective of the σB stress response system, we applied these microarrays to Listeria innocua under the same environmental conditions. Our studies revealed 64 candidates in the L. innocua σB regulon with ≥2.0-fold higher signals in the parent than in a ΔsigB mutant; 49 of the 64 genes overlap with the L. monocytogenes σB regulon, indicating extensive overlap in σB-controlled genes between the two species. Further transcriptional analysis using TaqMan quantitative real time RT-PCR was performed for selected genes that displayed contrasting fold changes among the four microarray data sets (two stress conditions per species). We report novel members of the L. monocytogenes σB regulon, as well as the initial definition of the L. innocua σB regulon. Our comparative studies of the σB stress response systems in L. monocytogenes and L. innocua revealed features of the σB regulon that are conserved and unique to the two species. Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria innocua, SigB regulon, salt stress, stationary phase
Project description:The formation of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms contributes to persistent contamination in food processing facilities. A microarray comparison of L. monocytogenes between the transcriptome of the strong biofilm forming strain (Bfms) Scott A and the weak biofilm forming (Bfmw) strain F2365 was conducted to identify genes potentially involved in biofilm formation. Among 951 genes with significant difference in expression between the two strains, a GntR-family response regulator encoding gene (LMOf2365_0414), designated lbrA, was found to be highly expressed in Scott A relative to F2365. A Scott A lbrA-deletion mutant, designated AW3, formed biofilm to a much lesser extent as compared to the parent strain by a rapid attachment assay and scanning electron microscopy. Complementation with lbrA from Scott A restored the Bfms phenotype in the AW3 derivative. A second microarray assessment using the lbrA deletion mutant AW3 and the wild type Scott A revealed a total of 304 genes with expression significantly different between the two strains, indicating the potential regulatory role of LbrA in L. monocytogenes. A cloned copy of Scott A lbrA was unable to confer enhanced biofilm forming potential in F2365, suggesting that additional factors contributed to weak biofilm formation by F2365. Findings from the study may lead to new strategies to modulate biofilm formation. Two comparisons were performed between 1) strong biofilm former Listeria monocytogenes strain ScottA versus weak biofilm former Listeria monocytogenes strain F2365; 2) Listeria monocytogenes ScottA LbrA deletion mutant strain versus Listeria monocytogenes ScottA. Four replicates were loaded for the first comparison and two replicates were loaded for the second comparison.