Caenorhabditis elegans is a model host for Listeria monocytogenes.
Here we report that Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes fed Listeria monocytogenes die over the course of several days, as a consequence of an accumulation of bacteria in the worm intestine. Mutant strains previously shown to be important for virulence in mammalian models were also found to be attenuated in their virulence in C. elegans. However, ActA, which is required for actin-based intracellular motility, appears to be dispensable during infection of C. elegans, indicating that L. monocytogenes remains extracellular in C. elegans.
Thomsen
Line E
LE
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL), Stigbøjlen 4, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
Slutz
Sandra S
SS
Tan
Man-Wah
MW
Ingmer
Hanne
H
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000382:microbiology*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000382:microbiology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C072980:actA protein, Listeria monocytogenes