Project description:Cultivation based analyses were used to determine the resistance of a set of 140 Listeria monocytogenes strains to weak organic acids. Strains of lineage I tended to exhibit greater overall resistant to four different organic acids compared to lineage II strains. Resistant strains also possessed higher survival levels following challenge to pH 2.4 compared to sensitive strains. Transcriptomic analyses were performed to determine genetic responses relevant to growth at mildly acidic conditions (pH 5.0) and to the presence of sodium diacetate. Lineage I and II strain representatives, clinical strain ATCC 19115 and food isolate FW04/0023, were found to exhibit similar transcriptomic changes when habituated to pH 5.0 in brain heart infusion broth (BHIB) relative to growth at pH 7.2 though considerably more divergent responses were detected when 21 mM sodium diacetate was present. Homogeneity in acid habituation-related gene expression was reflected in relatively homogenous SigB, PrfA, HrCA and CodY regulon expression responses. In the presence of sodium diacetate, SigB and PrfA regulon genes found to be upregulated in sigB and prfA null mutants were overall repressed but SigB dependent-gene activation was not evident. L. monocytogenes strains responses to sodium diacetate were observed in different expression trends amongst various functionally-related gene sets and in particular the expression of the PrfA, Atp, Kdp, Cob, Pdu, Eut and Dlt operons; iron transporter and heat shock-related proteins. The results suggest there is diversity in the specific responses to weak organic acids and subsequent cytosolic acidification amongst L. monocytogenes strains though the acid tolerance response itself manifests as a more conserved set of expression responses.
Project description:The organic acids lactate and diacetate are commonly used in combination in ready-to-eat foods because they show synergistic, i.e. greater than additive, ability to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. Full genome microarrays were used to investigate the synergistic transcriptomic response of two L. monocytogenes strains, h7858 (serotype 4b) and f6854 (serotype 1/2a), to organic acid, under conditions controlling for osmotic and cold stress. Strains were exposed to BHI broth at 7°C with 4.65% water phase (w.p.) NaCl at pH 6.1 treated with 2% w.p. potassium lactate, 0.14% w.p. sodium diacetate, the combination of both at the same levels, or no inhibitors as control. RNA was extracted 8h after exposure, during lag phase, to capture gene expression changes during adaptation to the organic acid stress. Treatment with organic acids induced massive global transcriptional changes, with 1041 and 640 genes differentially expressed in h7858 and f6854. Major effects of treatment with lactate and diacetate are (i) a total of 474 and 209 genes, for h7858 and f6854, that showed synergistic expression differences, (ii) differential expression of membrane ion transport genes including those encoding ABC transporters of metals and decreased multi-drug transporter expression many ABC, PTS, and drug transporter systems, including increased PTS sugar transport and decreased multi-drug transporter expression, and (iii) altered metabolism including induction of a nutrient limiting stress response, reduction of menaquinone biosynthesis, and a shift from fermentative production of lactate and acetate and lactate to energetically less favorable, neutral acetoin. These data suggest that additional synergies in L. monocytogenes growth inhibition could be achieved by treatments that interfere with cellular energy generation processes.
Project description:Survival of the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in acidic environments (e.g., stomach and low pH foods) is vital to its transmission. L. monocytogenes grows at temperatures as low as 2°C, and refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods have been sources of L. monocytogenes outbreaks. The purpose of this study was to determine whether growth at a low temperature (i.e., 7°C) affects the response of L. monocytogenes to sudden acid shock.
Project description:The organic acids lactate and diacetate are commonly used in combination in ready-to-eat foods because they show synergistic, i.e. greater than additive, ability to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. Full genome microarrays were used to investigate the synergistic transcriptomic response of two L. monocytogenes strains, h7858 (serotype 4b) and f6854 (serotype 1/2a), to organic acid, under conditions controlling for osmotic and cold stress. Strains were exposed to BHI broth at 7°C with 4.65% water phase (w.p.) NaCl at pH 6.1 treated with 2% w.p. potassium lactate, 0.14% w.p. sodium diacetate, the combination of both at the same levels, or no inhibitors as control. RNA was extracted 8h after exposure, during lag phase, to capture gene expression changes during adaptation to the organic acid stress. Treatment with organic acids induced massive global transcriptional changes, with 1041 and 640 genes differentially expressed in h7858 and f6854. Major effects of treatment with lactate and diacetate are (i) a total of 474 and 209 genes, for h7858 and f6854, that showed synergistic expression differences, (ii) differential expression of membrane ion transport genes including those encoding ABC transporters of metals and decreased multi-drug transporter expression many ABC, PTS, and drug transporter systems, including increased PTS sugar transport and decreased multi-drug transporter expression, and (iii) altered metabolism including induction of a nutrient limiting stress response, reduction of menaquinone biosynthesis, and a shift from fermentative production of lactate and acetate and lactate to energetically less favorable, neutral acetoin. These data suggest that additional synergies in L. monocytogenes growth inhibition could be achieved by treatments that interfere with cellular energy generation processes. The dye-swapped, single loop design hybridizes a single biological replicate of both 2% water phase lactate (PL) and 0.14% water phase acetate (SDA) treatments to both the control (CTRL) and combination (PLSDA) treatments (4 hybridizations), using opposite dye labels for each sample, and a second biological replicate is hybridized with dye assignments swapped (4 more hybridizations) to balance labeling effects. The design was repeated twice comprising 16 hybridizations over 4 biological replicates for each strain, and 32 total hybridizations over both h7858 and f6854.
Project description:Listeria monocytogenes strains classify into at least three distinct phylogenetic lineages. Correlations exist between lineage classification and source of bacterial isolation, e.g., human clinical and food isolates usually classify into either lineage I or II, however, human clinical isolates are over-represented in lineage I while food isolates are over-represented in lineage II. σB, a transcriptional regulator previously demonstrated to contribute to environmental stress response and virulence in L. monocytogenes lineage II strains, was hypothesized to provide differential capabilities for L. monocytogenes survival in various niches (e.g., food vs. human clinical). To determine if σB contributions to stress response and virulence differ across diverse L. monocytogenes strains, ΔsigB mutations were created in strains from lineages I, II, IIIA, and IIIB. Paired parent and ΔsigB mutant strains were tested for acid and oxidative stress survival, Caco-2 cell invasion efficiency, and virulence using the guinea pig listeriosis infection model. Parent and ΔsigB mutant strain transcriptomes were compared using whole-genome expression microarrays. σB contributed to virulence in each strain. However, while σB contributed significantly to acid and oxidative stress survival and Caco-2 cell invasion in lineage I, II, and IIIB strains, σB contributions were not significant for these phenotypes in the lineage IIIA strain. A core set of 63 genes was positively regulated by σB in all four strains; different total numbers of genes were positively regulated by σB in each strain. Our results suggest that σB universally contributes to L. monocytogenes virulence, but specific σB-regulated stress response phenotypes vary among strains.
Project description:Full title: Probing the pan genome of a foodborne bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes: Implications for its niche adaptation, pathogenesis, and evolution Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne bacterial pathogen well known for adaptability to diverse environmental and host niches, and a high fatality rate among infected, immuno-compromised individuals. Three genetic lineages have been identified within this species. Strains of genetic lineages I and II account for more than ninety percent of foodborne disease outbreaks worldwide, whereas strains from genetic lineage III are rarely implicated in human infectious for unknown, yet intriguing, reasons. Here we have probed the genomic diversity of 26 L. monocytogenes strains using both whole-genome sequences and a novel 385,000 probe pan-genome microarray, fully tiling the genomes of 20 representative strains. Using these methods to identify genes highly conserved in lineages I and II but rare in lineage III, we have identified 86 genes and 8 small RNAs that play roles in bacterial stress resistance, pathogenicity, and niche, potentially explaining the predominance of L. monocytogenes lineages I and II in foodborne disease outbreaks. Extending gene content analysis to all lineages revealed a L. monocytogenes core genome of approximately 2,350 genes (80% of each individual genome) and a pan-genomic reservoir of >4,000 unique genes. Combined gene content data from both sequences and arrays was used to reconstruct an informative phylogeny for the L. monocytogenes species that confirms three distinct lineages and describes the relationship of 9 new lineage III genomes. Comparative analysis of 18 fully sequenced L. monocytogenes lineage I and II genomes shows a high level of genomic conservation and synteny, indicative of a closed pan-genome, with moderate domain shuffling and sequence drift associated with bacteriophages is present in all lineages. In contrast with lineages I and II, notable genomic diversity and characteristics of an open pan-genome were observed in the lineage III genomes, including many strain-specific genes and a more complex conservation pattern. This indicates that the L. monocytogenes pan-genome has not yet been fully sampled by genome sequencing, and additional sequencing of lineage III genomes is necessary to survey the full diversity of this intriguing species and reveal its mechanisms for adaptability and virulence. This is a Listeria monocytogenes pan-genome tilling array designed using PanArray algorithm. 9 experimental strains (F2-569, M1-002, F2-208, J2-071, J1-208, W1-111, W1-110, F2-524, F2-501) vs reference (EGD-e) strain.
Project description:Full title: Probing the pan genome of a foodborne bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes: Implications for its niche adaptation, pathogenesis, and evolution Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne bacterial pathogen well known for adaptability to diverse environmental and host niches, and a high fatality rate among infected, immuno-compromised individuals. Three genetic lineages have been identified within this species. Strains of genetic lineages I and II account for more than ninety percent of foodborne disease outbreaks worldwide, whereas strains from genetic lineage III are rarely implicated in human infectious for unknown, yet intriguing, reasons. Here we have probed the genomic diversity of 26 L. monocytogenes strains using both whole-genome sequences and a novel 385,000 probe pan-genome microarray, fully tiling the genomes of 20 representative strains. Using these methods to identify genes highly conserved in lineages I and II but rare in lineage III, we have identified 86 genes and 8 small RNAs that play roles in bacterial stress resistance, pathogenicity, and niche, potentially explaining the predominance of L. monocytogenes lineages I and II in foodborne disease outbreaks. Extending gene content analysis to all lineages revealed a L. monocytogenes core genome of approximately 2,350 genes (80% of each individual genome) and a pan-genomic reservoir of >4,000 unique genes. Combined gene content data from both sequences and arrays was used to reconstruct an informative phylogeny for the L. monocytogenes species that confirms three distinct lineages and describes the relationship of 9 new lineage III genomes. Comparative analysis of 18 fully sequenced L. monocytogenes lineage I and II genomes shows a high level of genomic conservation and synteny, indicative of a closed pan-genome, with moderate domain shuffling and sequence drift associated with bacteriophages is present in all lineages. In contrast with lineages I and II, notable genomic diversity and characteristics of an open pan-genome were observed in the lineage III genomes, including many strain-specific genes and a more complex conservation pattern. This indicates that the L. monocytogenes pan-genome has not yet been fully sampled by genome sequencing, and additional sequencing of lineage III genomes is necessary to survey the full diversity of this intriguing species and reveal its mechanisms for adaptability and virulence.
Project description:A screening process was used to determine the aciduric capacities of a diverse set of Listeria monocytogenes strains and was based on the capacity to grow at pH 5.0 in the presence 4 different organic acids. Food and clinical isolates tended to be more resistant but strain genetic groupings were found to be only weakly linked to sodium diacetate (SDA)-resistance. Representative and comparatively aciduric food isolates FW04/0023 and FW04/0025 were found to accumulate reduced levels of acetate anion and K+ ion during growth in the presence of SDA, compared to more acid sensitive reference strains EGD (ATCC BAA-739) and ATCC 19111. The aciduric nature of FW04/0023 and FW04/0025 was also reflected by their comparatively high tolerance to pH 2.4 acid challenge; a property boosted by the presence of SDA, and growth-phase dependent acid tolerance. Transcriptomic analyses revealed increased levels of SDA did not activate or promulgate the response of any of the known acid protective mechanisms, except for acetoin biosynthesis. Elevated levels of unprotonated SDA (20 mM SDA at pH 5.0) was found to have broad effects on gene expression that could be differentiated from effects caused by mildly acidic conditions (pH 5.0) and substantial strain variation was also found. Collated SDA mainly effect genes associated with virulence, cell wall processes, DNA repair, and cofactor and lipid biosynthesis. Strain FW04/0025 was more responsive to elevated unprotonated SDA increasing the expression of 222 genes (>2-fold change, p<0.05), compared to 112 genes for strain EGD. Key differences between the strains in relation to SDA-enhanced transcript abundance in FW04/0023 were primarily associated with the cell wall, oxidative stress management, intermediary metabolism, and several hypothetical proteins. This complement of different responses could potentially alter phenotypes resulting in different cell envelope properties and metabolic properties that effect accumulation of acetate anion. The data demonstrates that amongst different L. monocytogenes strains acetate has differing effects that may ultimately influence growth efficiency under stressful conditions relevant to acidic foods and the gastrointestinal environment. The microarray component of the experiments had the aim of determining: i) To examine the affect of elevated levels of unprotonated sodium diacetate (21 mM sodium diacetate added to cultures at pH 5.0, resulting in ~7.7 mM unprotonated acetate) compared to mild acid stress at pH 5.0 in which lower levels of acetate accumulates through natural end-product formation. ii) To examine the gene expression responses of two L. monocytogenes strains that had different intrinsic acid resistances, including an organic acid resistant strain FW04/0025 and a more sensitive reference strain EGD on which genome the microarray oligonucleotide set is based.
Project description:A screening process was used to determine the aciduric capacities of a diverse set of Listeria monocytogenes strains and was based on the capacity to grow at pH 5.0 in the presence 4 different organic acids. Food and clinical isolates tended to be more resistant but strain genetic groupings were found to be only weakly linked to sodium diacetate (SDA)-resistance. Representative and comparatively aciduric food isolates FW04/0023 and FW04/0025 were found to accumulate reduced levels of acetate anion and K+ ion during growth in the presence of SDA, compared to more acid sensitive reference strains EGD (ATCC BAA-739) and ATCC 19111. The aciduric nature of FW04/0023 and FW04/0025 was also reflected by their comparatively high tolerance to pH 2.4 acid challenge; a property boosted by the presence of SDA, and growth-phase dependent acid tolerance. Transcriptomic analyses revealed increased levels of SDA did not activate or promulgate the response of any of the known acid protective mechanisms, except for acetoin biosynthesis. Elevated levels of unprotonated SDA (20 mM SDA at pH 5.0) was found to have broad effects on gene expression that could be differentiated from effects caused by mildly acidic conditions (pH 5.0) and substantial strain variation was also found. Collated SDA mainly effect genes associated with virulence, cell wall processes, DNA repair, and cofactor and lipid biosynthesis. Strain FW04/0025 was more responsive to elevated unprotonated SDA increasing the expression of 222 genes (>2-fold change, p<0.05), compared to 112 genes for strain EGD. Key differences between the strains in relation to SDA-enhanced transcript abundance in FW04/0023 were primarily associated with the cell wall, oxidative stress management, intermediary metabolism, and several hypothetical proteins. This complement of different responses could potentially alter phenotypes resulting in different cell envelope properties and metabolic properties that effect accumulation of acetate anion. The data demonstrates that amongst different L. monocytogenes strains acetate has differing effects that may ultimately influence growth efficiency under stressful conditions relevant to acidic foods and the gastrointestinal environment. The microarray component of the experiments had the aim of determining: i) To examine the affect of elevated levels of unprotonated sodium diacetate (21 mM sodium diacetate added to cultures at pH 5.0, resulting in ~7.7 mM unprotonated acetate) compared to mild acid stress at pH 5.0 in which lower levels of acetate accumulates through natural end-product formation. ii) To examine the gene expression responses of two L. monocytogenes strains that had different intrinsic acid resistances, including an organic acid resistant strain FW04/0025 and a more sensitive reference strain EGD on which genome the microarray oligonucleotide set is based. Two to four biologically replicated control cultures were labelled with Cy3 for each treatment sample with two sets of experimental conditions investigated for two different L. monocytogenes strains . Condition 1) â Mildly acidic stress: Control culture (Cy3-labelled RNA) - strains were grown to early- mid exponential growth phase at 25°C (in a shaking water bath) in brain-heart infusion broth at pH 7.3. Test cultures (Cy5-labelled RNA) â strains grown to early- mid exponential growth at 25°C phase in BHI broth adjusted to pH 5.0 (in a shaking water bath). Condition 2) â Organic acid (sodium diacetate) stress: Control culture (Cy3-labelled RNA) - strains were grown to exponential growth phase at 25°C (in a shaking water bath) in BHI broth at pH 5.0. Test cultures (Cy5-labelled RNA) â strains grown to exponential growth at 25°C phase in BHI broth adjusted to pH 5.0 and amended with 21 mM (0.3% w/v)sodium diacetate (in a shaking water bath).
Project description:Listeria monocytogenes strains classify into at least three distinct phylogenetic lineages. Correlations exist between lineage classification and source of bacterial isolation, e.g., human clinical and food isolates usually classify into either lineage I or II, however, human clinical isolates are over-represented in lineage I while food isolates are over-represented in lineage II. σB, a transcriptional regulator previously demonstrated to contribute to environmental stress response and virulence in L. monocytogenes lineage II strains, was hypothesized to provide differential capabilities for L. monocytogenes survival in various niches (e.g., food vs. human clinical). To determine if σB contributions to stress response and virulence differ across diverse L. monocytogenes strains, ΔsigB mutations were created in strains from lineages I, II, IIIA, and IIIB. Paired parent and ΔsigB mutant strains were tested for acid and oxidative stress survival, Caco-2 cell invasion efficiency, and virulence using the guinea pig listeriosis infection model. Parent and ΔsigB mutant strain transcriptomes were compared using whole-genome expression microarrays. σB contributed to virulence in each strain. However, while σB contributed significantly to acid and oxidative stress survival and Caco-2 cell invasion in lineage I, II, and IIIB strains, σB contributions were not significant for these phenotypes in the lineage IIIA strain. A core set of 63 genes was positively regulated by σB in all four strains; different total numbers of genes were positively regulated by σB in each strain. Our results suggest that σB universally contributes to L. monocytogenes virulence, but specific σB-regulated stress response phenotypes vary among strains.