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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Toward a Better Understanding of Listeria monocytogenes Virulence
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Toward a Better Understanding of Listeria monocytogenes Virulence

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2024) | Viewed by 4228

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giuditta Fiorella Schiavano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Humanities, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Via Bramante 17, 61029 Urbino, Italy
Interests: Listeria monocytogenes; virulence genes; whole-genome sequencing; cell culture assays; antimicrobial resistance
Dr. Amagliani Giulia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Toxicological, Hygienistic and Environmental Sciences Unit, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, PU, Italy
Interests: real-time PCR detection and characterization of foodborne pathogens, particularly Listeria monocytogenes; detection of antimicrobial resistance genes and plasmids

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne bacterial pathogen and the causative agent of listeriosis, with pregnant women, neonates, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly representing high-risk infection groups.

Different strains of L. monocytogenes may vary in their ability to cause this disease. Indeed, a number of virulence factors and mechanisms that play important roles in the pathogenesis of listeriosis have been identified and characterized. However, future studies integrating genomic information with environmental, epidemiological and clinical data may allow us to uncover new mechanisms of host–pathogen interaction.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present and discuss our current understanding the virulence and pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes through epidemiology, molecular and cell biology studies.

Dr. Giuditta Fiorella Schiavano
Dr. Amagliani Giulia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Listeria monocytogenes
  • virulence genes
  • whole-genome sequencing
  • PCR and real-time PCR

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 805 KiB  
Article
Listeria monocytogenes Strains Persisting in a Meat Processing Plant in Central Italy: Use of Whole Genome Sequencing and In Vitro Adhesion and Invasion Assays to Decipher Their Virulence Potential
by Giuditta Fiorella Schiavano, Fabrizia Guidi, Francesco Pomilio, Giorgio Brandi, Romolo Salini, Giulia Amagliani, Gabriella Centorotola, Francesco Palma, Martina Felici, Cinzia Lorenzetti and Giuliana Blasi
Microorganisms 2023, 11(7), 1659; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11071659 - 26 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1892
Abstract
In this study, we used both a WGS and an in vitro approach to study the virulence potential of nine Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) strains belonging to genetic clusters persisting in a meat processing plant in Central Italy. The studied clusters belonged [...] Read more.
In this study, we used both a WGS and an in vitro approach to study the virulence potential of nine Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) strains belonging to genetic clusters persisting in a meat processing plant in Central Italy. The studied clusters belonged to CC1-ST1, CC9-ST9, and CC218-ST2801. All the CC1 and CC218 strains presented the same accessory virulence genes (LIPI-3, gltA, gltB, and aut_IVb). CC1 and CC9 strains presented a gene profile similarity of 22.6% as well as CC9 and CC218 isolates. CC1 and CC218 showed a similarity of 45.2% of the same virulence profile. The hypervirulent strains of lineage I (CC1 and CC218) presented a greater ability to adhere and invade Caco-2 cells than hypovirulent ones (CC9). CC1 strains were significantly more adhesive and invasive compared with CC9 and CC218 strains, although these last CCs presented the same accessory virulence genes. No statistically significant difference was found comparing CC218 with CC9 strains. This study provided for the first time data on the in vitro adhesiveness and invasiveness of CC218-ST2801 and added more data on the virulence characteristics of CC1 and CC9. What we observed confirmed that the ability of Lm to adhere to and invade human cells in vitro is not always decipherable from its virulence gene profile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward a Better Understanding of Listeria monocytogenes Virulence)
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15 pages, 3711 KiB  
Article
The Slaughterhouse as Hotspot of CC1 and CC6 Listeria monocytogenes Strains with Hypervirulent Profiles in an Integrated Poultry Chain of Italy
by Fabrizia Guidi, Gabriella Centorotola, Alexandra Chiaverini, Luigi Iannetti, Maria Schirone, Pierina Visciano, Alessandra Cornacchia, Silvia Scattolini, Francesco Pomilio, Nicola D’Alterio and Marina Torresi
Microorganisms 2023, 11(6), 1543; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11061543 - 9 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1726
Abstract
In Europe, very few studies are available regarding the diversity of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) clonal complexes (CCs) and sequence types (ST) in poultry and on the related typing of isolates using whole genome sequencing (WGS). In this study, we used a WGS [...] Read more.
In Europe, very few studies are available regarding the diversity of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) clonal complexes (CCs) and sequence types (ST) in poultry and on the related typing of isolates using whole genome sequencing (WGS). In this study, we used a WGS approach to type 122 L. monocytogenes strains isolated from chicken neck skin samples collected in two different slaughterhouses of an integrated Italian poultry company. The studied strains were classified into five CCs: CC1-ST1 (21.3%), CC6-ST6 (22.9%), CC9-ST9 (44.2%), CC121-ST121 (10.6%) and CC193-ST193 (0.8%). CC1 and CC6 strains presented a virulence gene profile composed of 60 virulence genes and including the Listeria Pathogenicity Island 3, aut_IVb, gltA and gltB. According to cgMLST and SNPs analysis, long-term persistent clusters belonging to CC1 and CC6 were found in one of the two slaughterhouses. The reasons mediating the persistence of these CCs (up to 20 months) remain to be elucidated, and may involve the presence and the expression of stress response and environmental adaptation genes including heavy metals resistance genes (cadAC, arsBC, CsoR-copA-copZ), multidrug efflux pumps (mrpABCEF, EmrB, mepA, bmrA, bmr3, norm), cold-shock tolerance (cspD) and biofilm-formation determinants (lmo0673, lmo2504, luxS, recO). These findings indicated a serious risk of poultry finished products contamination with hypervirulent L. monocytogenes clones and raised concern for the consumer health. In addition to the AMR genes norB, mprF, lin and fosX, ubiquitous in L. monocytogenes strains, we also identified parC for quinolones, msrA for macrolides and tetA for tetracyclines. Although the phenotypical expression of these AMR genes was not tested, none of them is known to confer resistance to the primary antibiotics used to treat listeriosis The obtained results increase the data on the L. monocytogenes clones circulating in Italy and in particular in the poultry chain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward a Better Understanding of Listeria monocytogenes Virulence)
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