Listeria monocytogenes biofilm-associated protein (BapL) may contribute to surface attachment of L. monocytogenes but is absent from many field isolates.
Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen capable of adhering to a range of surfaces utilized within the food industry, including stainless steel. The factors required for the attachment of this ubiquitous organism to abiotic surfaces are still relatively unknown. In silico analysis of the L. monocytogenes EGD genome identified a putative cell wall-anchored protein (Lmo0435 [BapL]), which had similarity to proteins involved in biofilm formation by staphylococci. An insertion mutation was constructed in L. monocytogenes to determine the influence of this protein on attachment to abiotic surfaces. The results show that the protein may contribute to the surface adherence of strains that possess BapL, but it is not an essential requirement for all L. monocytogenes strains. Several BapL-negative field isolates demonstrated an ability to adhere to abiotic surfaces equivalent to that of BapL-positive strains. BapL is not required for the virulence of L. monocytogenes in mice.
Jordan
Suzanne J
SJ
Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Leicester, Leicester LE19HN, United Kingdom.
Perni
Stefano
S
Glenn
Sarah
S
Fernandes
Isabel
I
Barbosa
Manuela
M
Sol
Manuela
M
Tenreiro
Rogerio P
RP
Chambel
Lelia
L
Barata
Belarmino
B
Zilhao
Isabel
I
Aldsworth
Timothy G
TG
Adriao
Andreia
A
Faleiro
M Leonor
ML
Shama
Gilbert
G
Andrew
Peter W
PW
D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018441:Biofilms; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005525:Food-Processing Industry; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010957:Plasmids; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial