The impact of environmental stress on Listeria monocytogenes virulence

• Autorzy: Walecka E. , Molenda J. , Bania J.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Listeria monocytogenes, a significant food-borne pathogen, must defy a variety of conditions encountered in the food environment and during the infection process. In reaction to adverse conditions, the bacteria significantly change their metabolism, inducing a stress response which is mediated by a range of alternative sigma factors. The extent of the response to stress was shown to vary in the L. monocytogenes population. According to recent evidence a major L. monocytogenes alternative sigma factor, designated sigma B (σB), regulates some virulence genes in response to stress, which supports an older hypothesis that stress-resistant strains should be more pathogenic. The induction of σB-dependent genes may also be important from the point of view of food hygiene. It seems that stress response activation can paradoxically enhance resistance to agents used in food preservation. Therefore, monitoring the expression of σB-dependent genes can serve as a useful marker to assess the innate resistance of L. monocytogenes strains. This knowledge will allow the design of new methods with sequential preservation steps that could inactivate the bacteria without inducing their stress response.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

environmental stress; Listeria monocytogenes; virulence; stress response; food-borne pathogen; infection process; bacteria; food hygiene; survival

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences
• Rocznik: 2009
• Tom: 12
• Numer: 4
• Opis fizyczny: p.575-579,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Walecka E.

• Department of Food Hygiene and Consumer Health Protection, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Norwida 31, 50-375 Wroclaw, Poland

autor

Molenda J.

autor

Bania J.