title: Cellular morphology of rough forms of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from clinical and food samples.
abstract: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed that rough cell-forms of L. monocytogenes (designated FR variants), isolated from clinical and food samples (and under conditions of sublethal heat stress), consist of either single or paired long-filaments. These FR variants markedly contrast in cell morphology from other previously described avirulent rough-mutants of L. monocytogenes that form long chains consisting of multiple cells of similar size (designated MCR variants). The identity of these Listeria isolates was determined using a commercially available, anti-Listeria polyclonal KPL antibody and by the API Listeria biochemical gallery. This study shows that filamentous rough-forms of L. monocytogenes may occur in clinical and food samples that are of undetermined pathogenicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. n.j.rowan@strath.ac.uk
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Rowan
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Candlish
mesh_terms: D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron