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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Characterization and Interventions for Foodborne Pathogens » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #352099
Research Project: Molecular Characterization of Foodborne Pathogen Responses to Stress

Location: Characterization and Interventions for Foodborne Pathogens

Title: Comparative transcriptome RNA-Seq analysis of Listeria monocytogenes with sodium lactate adaptation

Author
item SUO, YUJUAN - Shanghai Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item GAO, SHIGANG - Shanghai Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item BARANZONI, GIANMARCO - University Of Birmingham
item XIE, YANPING - Shanghai Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item Liu, Yanhong

Submitted to: Food Control
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/23/2018
Publication Date: 3/29/2018
Citation: Suo, Y., Gao, S., Baranzoni, G., Xie, Y., Liu, Y. 2018. Comparative transcriptome RNA-Seq analysis of Listeria monocytogenes with sodium lactate adaptation. Food Control. 91:193-201.

Interpretive Summary: Listeria monocytogenes is an important bacterial human pathogen that causes a disease called listeriosis. Sodium lactate is a food preservative that can control the growth of foodborne pathogens in meat. However, factors that contribute to the inhibition of growth of L. monocytogenes by sodium lactate are unknown. RNA-Seq is a powerful tool that involves sequencing of nucleic acids of bacteria, and it is used to study the expression of all of the bacterial genes under different conditions. RNA-Seq technology was used to study the expression of genes under sodium lactate treatment in L. monocytogenes to understand the mechanism of action of this food preservative. A number of genes were found to be affected by sodium lactate treatment, which included genes involved in nutrient uptake, signaling, and cell movement. Thus, these genes could potentially be used as targets to control L. monocytogenes. Information from this research will aid in identifying strategies that may have a synergistic effect in combination with sodium lactate to inhibit L. monocytogenes in meat and potentially in other food.

Technical Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen that can cause listeriosis with high mortality rates. Sodium lactate has been used as an antimicrobial in meat products to inhibit the growth of foodborne pathogens. However, the adaptation mechanism of L. monocytogenes to sodium lactate remains unclear. In this paper, the growth/survival of L. monocytogenes was determined in ready-to-eat (RTE) meats with 4% sodium lactate treatment. RNA-Seq was conducted to compare the transcriptional profiles between cells cultured in Brain Heart Infusion broth with and without 4% sodium lactate to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). DEGs (766) including 329 up-regulated and 437 down-regulated genes were identified from RNA-Seq analysis in response to sodium lactate treatment. RNA-Seq data were validated using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) assays. The DEGs include genes involved in pathways including signal transduction, and ABC transporter and PTS systems. Interestingly, the DEGs involved in bacterial chemotaxis and flagellar assembly were exclusively down-regulated, indicating that flagellar synthesis was inhibited by sodium lactate treatment. Most importantly, virulence-related genes were induced, suggesting that sodium lactate may increase the virulence potential of L. monocytogenes. Our study provides insight on the adaptation mechanism of L. monocytogenes with treatment of sodium lactate, and may aid in searching for strategies that may have a synergistic effect in combination with sodium lactate to inhibit L. monocytogenes in RTE meat.