Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1991 Nov;59(11):3945–3951. doi: 10.1128/iai.59.11.3945-3951.1991

Listeria monocytogenes isolates can be classified into two major types according to the sequence of the listeriolysin gene.

O F Rasmussen 1, T Beck 1, J E Olsen 1, L Dons 1, L Rossen 1
PMCID: PMC258981  PMID: 1937753

Abstract

The nucleotide sequence of a 3.5-kb BamHI fragment from Listeria monocytogenes 12067, a human clinical isolate of serotype 4b, has been determined. The DNA fragment harbors the gene for listeriolysin, part of the gene for a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, and part of the gene for a metalloprotease. Comparison of the sequence with corresponding sequences from two other L. monocytogenes isolates revealed a significant number of nucleotide differences. Several of the differences give rise to amino acid substitutions. The most variable region was the examined part of the mpl gene, whereas the lisA gene showed a relatively high degree of conservation, particularly at the amino acid level. To analyze the pattern of sequence variability in the lisA gene, a 160-bp region covering nine nucleotide differences was sequenced from 36 isolates of different origins. This work showed that the strains can be grouped into two major types according to the nucleotide sequences. Oligonucleotide probing of a larger number of L. monocytogenes isolates showed that the observed differences can be used to subdivide the species. The data suggest a correspondence between the sequence type of the lisA gene and flagellar antigens. Assays based on hybridization or the polymerase chain reaction with type-specific oligonucleotides may provide fast and easy alternative methods for strain typing.

Full text

PDF
3945

Images in this article

3948Image
on p.3948

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bibb W. F., Gellin B. G., Weaver R., Schwartz B., Plikaytis B. D., Reeves M. W., Pinner R. W., Broome C. V. Analysis of clinical and food-borne isolates of Listeria monocytogenes in the United States by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and application of the method to epidemiologic investigations. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Jul;56(7):2133–2141. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.7.2133-2141.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cossart P., Vicente M. F., Mengaud J., Baquero F., Perez-Diaz J. C., Berche P. Listeriolysin O is essential for virulence of Listeria monocytogenes: direct evidence obtained by gene complementation. Infect Immun. 1989 Nov;57(11):3629–3636. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.11.3629-3636.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Datta A. R., Wentz B. A., Shook D., Trucksess M. W. Synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide probes for detection of Listeria monocytogenes. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Dec;54(12):2933–2937. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.12.2933-2937.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Desmarchelier P. M., Senn C. R. A molecular epidemiological study of Vibrio cholerae in Australia. Med J Aust. 1989 Jun 5;150(11):631–634. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1989.tb136726.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Domann E., Chakraborty T. Nucleotide sequence of the listeriolysin gene from a Listeria monocytogenes serotype 1/2a strain. Nucleic Acids Res. 1989 Aug 11;17(15):6406–6406. doi: 10.1093/nar/17.15.6406. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Domann E., Leimeister-Wächter M., Goebel W., Chakraborty T. Molecular cloning, sequencing, and identification of a metalloprotease gene from Listeria monocytogenes that is species specific and physically linked to the listeriolysin gene. Infect Immun. 1991 Jan;59(1):65–72. doi: 10.1128/iai.59.1.65-72.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fleming D. W., Cochi S. L., MacDonald K. L., Brondum J., Hayes P. S., Plikaytis B. D., Holmes M. B., Audurier A., Broome C. V., Reingold A. L. Pasteurized milk as a vehicle of infection in an outbreak of listeriosis. N Engl J Med. 1985 Feb 14;312(7):404–407. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198502143120704. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gaillard J. L., Berche P., Mounier J., Richard S., Sansonetti P. In vitro model of penetration and intracellular growth of Listeria monocytogenes in the human enterocyte-like cell line Caco-2. Infect Immun. 1987 Nov;55(11):2822–2829. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.11.2822-2829.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kaper J. B., Bradford H. B., Roberts N. C., Falkow S. Molecular epidemiology of Vibrio cholerae in the U.S. Gulf Coast. J Clin Microbiol. 1982 Jul;16(1):129–134. doi: 10.1128/jcm.16.1.129-134.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Leimeister-Wächter M., Chakraborty T. Detection of listeriolysin, the thiol-dependent hemolysin in Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria ivanovii, and Listeria seeligeri. Infect Immun. 1989 Aug;57(8):2350–2357. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.8.2350-2357.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Leimeister-Wächter M., Domann E., Chakraborty T. Detection of a gene encoding a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C that is co-ordinately expressed with listeriolysin in Listeria monocytogenes. Mol Microbiol. 1991 Feb;5(2):361–366. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1991.tb02117.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Leimeister-Wächter M., Haffner C., Domann E., Goebel W., Chakraborty T. Identification of a gene that positively regulates expression of listeriolysin, the major virulence factor of listeria monocytogenes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Nov;87(21):8336–8340. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.21.8336. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Linnan M. J., Mascola L., Lou X. D., Goulet V., May S., Salminen C., Hird D. W., Yonekura M. L., Hayes P., Weaver R. Epidemic listeriosis associated with Mexican-style cheese. N Engl J Med. 1988 Sep 29;319(13):823–828. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198809293191303. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. McLauchlin J. Listeria monocytogenes, recent advances in the taxonomy and epidemiology of listeriosis in humans. J Appl Bacteriol. 1987 Jul;63(1):1–11. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1987.tb02411.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Mengaud J., Chenevert J., Geoffroy C., Gaillard J. L., Cossart P. Identification of the structural gene encoding the SH-activated hemolysin of Listeria monocytogenes: listeriolysin O is homologous to streptolysin O and pneumolysin. Infect Immun. 1987 Dec;55(12):3225–3227. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.12.3225-3227.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mengaud J., Vicente M. F., Chenevert J., Pereira J. M., Geoffroy C., Gicquel-Sanzey B., Baquero F., Perez-Diaz J. C., Cossart P. Expression in Escherichia coli and sequence analysis of the listeriolysin O determinant of Listeria monocytogenes. Infect Immun. 1988 Apr;56(4):766–772. doi: 10.1128/iai.56.4.766-772.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mengaud J., Vicente M. F., Cossart P. Transcriptional mapping and nucleotide sequence of the Listeria monocytogenes hlyA region reveal structural features that may be involved in regulation. Infect Immun. 1989 Dec;57(12):3695–3701. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.12.3695-3701.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Nocera D., Bannerman E., Rocourt J., Jaton-Ogay K., Bille J. Characterization by DNA restriction endonuclease analysis of Listeria monocytogenes strains related to the Swiss epidemic of listeriosis. J Clin Microbiol. 1990 Oct;28(10):2259–2263. doi: 10.1128/jcm.28.10.2259-2263.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Piffaretti J. C., Kressebuch H., Aeschbacher M., Bille J., Bannerman E., Musser J. M., Selander R. K., Rocourt J. Genetic characterization of clones of the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes causing epidemic disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989 May;86(10):3818–3822. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.10.3818. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Raibaud O., Schwartz M. Positive control of transcription initiation in bacteria. Annu Rev Genet. 1984;18:173–206. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.18.120184.001133. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Rocourt J., Audurier A., Courtieu A. L., Durst J., Ortel S., Schrettenbrunner A., Taylor A. G. A multi-centre study on the phage typing of Listeria monocytogenes. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg A. 1985 Jul;259(4):489–497. doi: 10.1016/s0176-6724(85)80081-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Schwartz B., Hexter D., Broome C. V., Hightower A. W., Hirschhorn R. B., Porter J. D., Hayes P. S., Bibb W. F., Lorber B., Faris D. G. Investigation of an outbreak of listeriosis: new hypotheses for the etiology of epidemic Listeria monocytogenes infections. J Infect Dis. 1989 Apr;159(4):680–685. doi: 10.1093/infdis/159.4.680. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Watkins J., Sleath K. P. Isolation and enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes from Sewage, Sewage Sludge and River Water. J Appl Bacteriol. 1981 Feb;50(1):1–9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1981.tb00865.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES