Listeria monocytogenes Pathogenesis: The Role of Stress Adaptation

Abstract

Adaptive stress tolerance responses are the driving force behind the survival ability of Listeria monocytogenes in different environmental niches, within foods, and ultimately, the ability to cause human infections. Although the bacterial stress adaptive responses are primarily a necessity for survival in foods and the environment, some aspects of the stress responses are linked to bacterial pathogenesis. Food stress-induced adaptive tolerance responses to acid and osmotic stresses can protect the pathogen against similar stresses in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and, thus, directly aid its virulence potential. Moreover, once in the GIT, the reprogramming of gene expression from the stress survival-related genes to virulence-related genes allows L. monocytogenes to switch from an avirulent to a virulent state. This transition is controlled by two overlapping and interlinked transcriptional networks for general stress response (regulated by Sigma factor B, (SigB)) and virulence (regulated by the positive regulatory factor A (PrfA)). This review explores the current knowledge on the molecular basis of the connection between stress tolerance responses and the pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes. The review gives a detailed background on the currently known mechanisms of pathogenesis and stress adaptation. Furthermore, the paper looks at the current literature and theories on the overlaps and connections between the regulatory networks for SigB and PrfA.

Implementation of Ozonation Technology on Microbiological Quality of Milk: Study of Differences Fat and Protein Percentages Against Pathogenic Bacterial Resistance

“…The increased of protein content could promote the cell growth of bacteria, especially in environmental stresses. This shows that skim milk addition kept the existing of Escherichia coli under the pressure of ozone treatment, even there is no significant effect on it [18].…”

“…Similar data were also shown by Listeria monocytogenes as the same gram-positive bacteria as Staphylococcus aureus. Pathogenic species, when it comes to environmental stress, the protein will be translocated into the cell surface to protect the bacteria [18]. Listreia monocytogenes has proteins in their surface.…”

Listeria monocytogenes at the food–human interface: A review of risk factors influencing transmission and consumer exposure in Africa

“…Additionally, elevated ambient temperatures could affect the expression of virulence genes in the pathogen within the environment and the potential spread of hyper‐virulent strains (Bruno Jr & Freitag, 2010; Levy et al., 2016). As an environmental saprophyte, L. monocytogenes normally exists in an avirulent state in which virulence genes are repressed at temperatures of 30°C and below (Sibanda & Buys, 2022). Elevated temperatures at 37°C serve as a stimulus for the activation of virulence gene expression (Sibanda & Buys, 2022).…”

“…As an environmental saprophyte, L. monocytogenes normally exists in an avirulent state in which virulence genes are repressed at temperatures of 30°C and below (Sibanda & Buys, 2022). Elevated temperatures at 37°C serve as a stimulus for the activation of virulence gene expression (Sibanda & Buys, 2022). In the normal infection cycle of L. monocytogenes , the activation of virulence gene expression occurs inside the host as the organism switches from the avirulent to the virulent state.…”

Assessment of the influence of selected stress factors on the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes

“…The ability of L. monocytogenes to adapt to low pH environments, e.g., during the passage through the stomach and in the phagosome, is relevant for the host invasion [ 6 ]. The adaptive stress response of L. monocytogenes is indispensable for the survival in the food environment and may affect bacterial pathogenicity [ 7 ]. One of the main stress response mechanisms is associated with alternative sigma factors: σ B , σ C , σ H and σ L , which σ B plays a key role [ 8 ].…”