Construction of deletion mutants in the phosphotransferase transport system and adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporters in Listeria monocytogenes and analysis of their growth under different stress conditions

Functional genomics approaches enable us to investigate the biochemical, cellular, and physiological properties of each gene product and are nowadays applied to enhance food safety by understanding microbial stress responses in food and host-pathogen interactions. Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that causes listeriosis and is difficult to eliminate this pathogen since it can survive under multiple stress conditions such as low pH and low temperature. Detailed studies are needed to determine its mode of action and to understand the mechanisms that protect the pathogen when it is subjected to stress. In this study, deletion mutants of phosphotransferase transport system genes (PTS) and adenosine triphosphate(ATP)-binding cassette transporters (ABC) of Listeria monocytogenes F2365 were created using molecular techniques. These mutants and the wild-type were tested under different stress conditions, such as in solutions with different NaCl concentration, pH value and for nisin resistance. Results demonstrate that the behaviour of these deletion mutants is different from the wild type. In particular, deleted genes may be involved in L. monocytogenes resistance to nisin and to acid and salt concentrations. Functional genomics research on L. monocytogenes allows a better understanding of the genes related to stress responses and this knowledge may help in intervention strategies to control this food-borne pathogen. Furthermore, specific gene markers can be used to identify and subtype L. monocytogenes. Thus, future development of this study will focus on additional functional analyses of important stress response-related genes, as well as on methods for rapid and sensitive detection of L. monocytogenes such as using DNA microarrays.