Geographical and longitudinal analysis of Listeria monocytogenes genetic diversity reveals its correlation with virulence and unique evolution.
Listeria monocytogenes is one of the most important foodborne pathogens causing severe diseases with a mortality rate of 24%. However, the genetic diversity and evolution of L. monocytogenes, particularly at the worldwide level, are poorly defined. In this study, we performed multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and multi virulence locus sequence typing (MVLST) for 86 L. monocytogenes strains derived from 8 countries from 1926 to 2012 in order to better understand the molecular evolution and genetic characteristics of this pathogen. A total of 13 clonal complexes (CCs) were detected, of which CC1, CC2, CC3, CC7, CC9, CC4 are the most prevalent. Notably, polymorphism of housekeeping genes of isolates belong to CC1 (STs = 47) increased more rapidly over the time. MLST-based phylogenetic analysis showed that serotype 1/2b and 4b strains had an "interval-type" evolution pattern, while serotype 1/2a and 1/2c strains had a "progressive-type" evolution pattern. Furthermore, strains from temporally and geographically unrelated outbreaks in different countries were clustered in the same subgroup of phylogenetic tree, indicating that that L. monocytogenes developed highly similar virulence genes and genetic characteristics to adaptation in a special ecological niche. Interestingly, there was a high correlation between the population structure of MVLST and MLST among the isolates of cluster IA corresponding to CC1, CC2, CC4 and CC6 that had the highest potential to cause listeriosis outbreaks, strengthening that surveillance of these CCs is important for prevention of listeriosis. The present study offers insights into the internal relationships between the population structure, distribution and pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes.
Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: yylan@yzu.edu.cn.
Yuelan
Y
Yin
Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: tan839714005@126.com.
Weijun
W
Tan
Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: 349298088@qq.com.
Guoliang
G
Wang
Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: 1778510713@qq.com.
Suwei
S
Kong
Department of Pathobiology & Veterinary Science, The University of Connecticut, 61 N. Eagleville Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3089, USA. Electronic address: Xiaohui.zhou@uconn.edu.
Xiaohui
X
Zhou
Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: 1094386311@qq.com.
Dan
D
Zhao
Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: jiayanyan0120@163.com.
Yanyan
Y
Jia
Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: zmpan@yzu.edu.cn.
Zhiming
Z
Pan
Yangzhou University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: jiao@yzu.edu.cn.
Xin'an
X
Jiao
D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D010802:Phylogeny; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D037521:Virulence Factors
Evolution; Listeria monocytogenes; MLST; MVLST; Virulence