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Cellular Microbiology Apr 2020Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a systemic infection which manifests as bacteremia, often complicated by meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals... (Review)
Review
Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a systemic infection which manifests as bacteremia, often complicated by meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals and the elderly, and fetal-placental infection in pregnant women. It has emerged over the past decades as a major foodborne pathogen, responsible for numerous outbreaks in Western countries, and more recently in Africa. L. monocytogenes' pathogenic properties have been studied in detail, thanks to concomitant advances in biological sciences, in particular molecular biology, cell biology and immunology. L. monocytogenes has also been instrumental to basic advances in life sciences. L. monocytogenes therefore stands both a tool to understand biology and a model in infection biology. This review briefly summarises the clinical and some of the pathophysiological features of listeriosis. In the context of this special issue, it highlights some of the major discoveries made by Pascale Cossart in the fields of molecular and cellular microbiology since the mid-eighties regarding the identification and characterisation of multiple bacterial and host factors critical to L. monocytogenes pathogenicity. It also briefly summarises some of the key findings from our laboratory on this topic over the past years.
Topics: Animals; Food Microbiology; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeriosis; Mice; Sepsis
PubMed: 32185900
DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13186 -
Trends in Microbiology Sep 2021Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen responsible for listeriosis, an infection that can manifest in humans as bacteremia, meningoencephalitis in... (Review)
Review
Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen responsible for listeriosis, an infection that can manifest in humans as bacteremia, meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients and the elderly, and fetal-placental infection in pregnant women. Reference strains from this facultative intracellular bacterium have been instrumental in the investigation of basic mechanisms in microbiology, immunology, and cell biology. The integration of bacterial population genomics with environmental, epidemiological, and clinical data allowed the uncovering of new factors involved in the virulence of L. monocytogenes and its adaptation to different environments. This review illustrates how these investigations have led to a better understanding of the bacterium's virulence and the driving forces that shaped it.
Topics: Adaptation, Physiological; Animals; Biodiversity; Humans; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeriosis; Virulence
PubMed: 33583696
DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.01.008 -
Nature Reviews. Microbiology Jan 2018Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen responsible for a disease called listeriosis, which is potentially lethal in immunocompromised individuals. This... (Review)
Review
Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen responsible for a disease called listeriosis, which is potentially lethal in immunocompromised individuals. This bacterium, first used as a model to study cell-mediated immunity, has emerged over the past 20 years as a paradigm in infection biology, cell biology and fundamental microbiology. In this Review, we highlight recent advances in the understanding of human listeriosis and L. monocytogenes biology. We describe unsuspected modes of hijacking host cell biology, ranging from changes in organelle morphology to direct effects on host transcription via a new class of bacterial effectors called nucleomodulins. We then discuss advances in understanding infection in vivo, including the discovery of tissue-specific virulence factors and the 'arms race' among bacteria competing for a niche in the microbiota. Finally, we describe the complexity of bacterial regulation and physiology, incorporating new insights into the mechanisms of action of a series of riboregulators that are critical for efficient metabolic regulation, antibiotic resistance and interspecies competition.
Topics: Animals; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeriosis; Virulence; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 29176582
DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2017.126 -
Microbiology Spectrum Jul 2019Whereas obligate human and animal bacterial pathogens may be able to depend upon the warmth and relative stability of their chosen replication niche, environmental... (Review)
Review
Whereas obligate human and animal bacterial pathogens may be able to depend upon the warmth and relative stability of their chosen replication niche, environmental bacteria such as that harbor the ability to replicate both within animal cells and in the outside environment must maintain the capability to manage life under a variety of disparate conditions. Bacterial life in the outside environment requires adaptation to wide ranges of temperature, available nutrients, and physical stresses such as changes in pH and osmolarity as well as desiccation. Following ingestion by a susceptible animal host, the bacterium must adapt to similar changes during transit through the gastrointestinal tract and overcome a variety of barriers associated with host innate immune responses. Rapid alteration of patterns of gene expression and protein synthesis represent one strategy for quickly adapting to a dynamic host landscape. Here, we provide an overview of the impressive variety of strategies employed by the soil-dwelling, foodborne, mammalian pathogen to straddle diverse environments and optimize bacterial fitness both inside and outside host cells.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeriosis; Osmolar Concentration; Virulence
PubMed: 31441398
DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.GPP3-0064-2019 -
Critical Reviews in Microbiology Sep 2021is one of the most invasive foodborne pathogens and is responsible for numerous outbreaks worldwide. Most of the methods to detect this bacterium in food require... (Review)
Review
is one of the most invasive foodborne pathogens and is responsible for numerous outbreaks worldwide. Most of the methods to detect this bacterium in food require selective enrichment using traditional bacterial culture techniques that can be time-consuming and labour-intensive. Moreover, molecular methods are expensive and need specific technical knowledge. In contrast, immunological approaches are faster, simpler, and user-friendly alternatives and have been developed for the detection of in food, environmental, and clinical samples. These techniques are dependent on the constitutive expression of antigens and the specificity of the antibodies used. Here, updated knowledge on pathogenesis and the key immunogenic virulence determinants of that are used for the generation of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for the serological assay development are summarised. In addition, immunological approaches based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence, lateral flow immunochromatographic assays, and immunosensors with relevant improvements are highlighted. Though the sensitivity and specificity of the assays were improved significantly, methods still face many challenges that require further validation before use.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Antigens, Bacterial; Biosensing Techniques; Food Microbiology; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeriosis; Virulence; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 33896354
DOI: 10.1080/1040841X.2021.1911930 -
Current Protein & Peptide Science 2021Listeria monocytogenes, a facultative intracellular gram-positive pathogen, is the causative agent of the disease listeriosis. The virulence of this intracellular... (Review)
Review
Listeria monocytogenes, a facultative intracellular gram-positive pathogen, is the causative agent of the disease listeriosis. The virulence of this intracellular bacterium is dependent on the coordinated activity of various bacterial factors, which are in turn tightly controlled by a specific set of regulators. The various virulence factors employed by L. monocytogenes for its infection cycle are well reported in literature. Although the internalins of L. monocytogenes have been studied in detail, their structural details are currently scattered and fragmented. Therefore, in the current review, we provide a brief account of the existing knowledge on structural details of the key internalins of L. monocytogenes and also highlight the recent advances in their functional aspects.
Topics: Bacterial Proteins; Listeria monocytogenes
PubMed: 34473616
DOI: 10.2174/1389203722666210902163300 -
Infection, Genetics and Evolution :... Oct 2015Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic food-borne pathogen responsible for listeriosis, a disease associated with high mortality rates. L. monocytogenes causes... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Review
Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic food-borne pathogen responsible for listeriosis, a disease associated with high mortality rates. L. monocytogenes causes invasive syndromes and case-fatality can be as high as 30%, in specific high-risk population groups such as the elderly, immuno-compromised individuals, fetuses and newborns. Acquisition of the disease is mainly due to consumption of contaminated (predominantly ready-to-eat) food. We aimed to provide a state-of-the-art collection of different likely evolutionary models, based on recombination and positive selection, and the phylogenetic relationship between lineages of L. monocytogenes and between them and other Listeria species. We described the most recent findings in comparative pan-genomics, considering the core and accessory genome in relation to virulence and adaptation to different environments. Finally, this review illustrates L. monocytogenes epidemiology and transmission in humans, foods and animals, the surveillance systems of the European Union and United States and the application of molecular techniques as a core tool in epidemiological investigation.
Topics: Europe; Evolution, Molecular; Food Microbiology; Genome, Bacterial; Genomics; Humans; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeriosis; Phylogeny; Selection, Genetic; United States
PubMed: 26254574
DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.08.008 -
Journal of Applied Microbiology Oct 2018Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular human pathogen which enters the body through contaminated food stuffs and is known to contaminate fresh leafy produce such as... (Review)
Review
Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular human pathogen which enters the body through contaminated food stuffs and is known to contaminate fresh leafy produce such as spinach, lettuce and rocket. Routinely, fresh leafy produce is grown and processed on a large scale before reaching the consumer through various products such as sandwiches and prepared salads. From farm to fork, the fresh leafy produce supply chain (FLPSC) is complex and contains a diverse range of environments where L. monocytogenes is sporadically detected during routine sampling of produce and processing areas. This review describes sources of the bacteria in the FLPSC and outlines the physiological and molecular mechanisms behind its survival in the different environments associated with growing and processing fresh produce. Finally, current methods of source tracking the bacteria in the context of the food supply chain are discussed with emphasis on how these methods can provide additional, valuable information on the risk that L. monocytogenes isolates pose to the consumer.
Topics: Colony Count, Microbial; Food Contamination; Food Handling; Humans; Listeria monocytogenes; Plant Leaves; Vegetables
PubMed: 30039586
DOI: 10.1111/jam.14025 -
Cellular Microbiology Oct 2017Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of listeriosis, is an intracellular pathogen that is exquisitely evolved to survive and replicate in the cytosol of... (Review)
Review
Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of listeriosis, is an intracellular pathogen that is exquisitely evolved to survive and replicate in the cytosol of eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells typically restrict bacteria from colonising the cytosol, likely through a combination of cell autonomous defences, nutritional immunity, and innate immune responses including induction of programmed cell death. This suggests that L. monocytogenes and other professional cytosolic pathogens possess unique metabolic adaptations, not only to support replication but also to facilitate resistance to host-derived stresses/defences and avoidance of innate immune activation. In this review, we outline our current understanding of L. monocytogenes metabolism in the host cytosol and highlight major metabolic processes which promote intracellular replication and survival.
Topics: Cytosol; Immunity, Innate; Listeria monocytogenes; Virulence
PubMed: 28656691
DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12762 -
Environmental Microbiology Dec 2020Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen causing systemic infection with high mortality. To allow efficient tracking of outbreaks a clear definition of the genomic...
Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen causing systemic infection with high mortality. To allow efficient tracking of outbreaks a clear definition of the genomic signature of a cluster of related isolates is required, but lineage-specific characteristics call for a more detailed understanding of evolution. In our work, we used core genome MLST (cgMLST) to identify new outbreaks combined to core genome SNP analysis to characterize the population structure and gene flow between lineages. Whilst analysing differences between the four lineages of L. monocytogenes we have detected differences in the recombination rate, and interestingly also divergence in the SNP differences between sub-lineages. In addition, the exchange of core genome variation between the lineages exhibited a distinct pattern, with lineage III being the best donor for horizontal gene transfer. Whilst attempting to link bacteriophage-mediated transduction to observed gene transfer, we found an inverse correlation between phage presence in a lineage and the extent of recombination. Irrespective of the profound differences in recombination rates observed between sub-lineages and lineages, we found that the previously proposed cut-off of 10 allelic differences in cgMLST can be still considered valid for the definition of a foodborne outbreak cluster of L. monocytogenes.
Topics: Bacteriophages; Evolution, Molecular; Gene Flow; Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Genetic Variation; Genome, Bacterial; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeriosis; Multilocus Sequence Typing; Phylogeny; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Recombination, Genetic
PubMed: 32483914
DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15111