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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 #355468
Research Project: Molecular Characterization of Foodborne Pathogen Responses to Stress

Location: Characterization and Interventions for Foodborne Pathogens

Title: Draft whole genome sequence of seven L. monocytogenes strains with variation in virulence and stress responses

Author
item Liu, Yanhong
item XU, AIXIA - Collaborator
item Fratamico, Pina
item Sommers, Christopher
item ROTUNDO, LUCA - Collaborator
item BOCCIA, FEDERICA - University Of Naples
item JIANG, YUJI - Fujian Agricultural & Forestry University
item Ward, Todd

Submitted to: Microbiology Resource Announcements
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/6/2018
Publication Date: 10/4/2018
Citation: Liu, Y., Xu, A., Fratamico, P.M., Sommers, C.H., Rotundo, L., Boccia, F., Jiang, Y., Ward, T.J. 2018. Draft whole genome sequence of seven L. monocytogenes strains with variation in virulence and stress responses. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 7(13). https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.01038-18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.01038-18

Interpretive Summary: Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen that causes a disease called listeriosis associated with high mortality rates. L. monocytogenes is very difficult to control in the food industry since it can survive under very harsh conditions such as high salt, low pH, and low temperature. To gain a better understanding of how to control this pathogen, knowledge of the genes that are involved in its responses to stress conditions is needed. Thus, the genome sequence (an organism’s complete set of DNA) of seven strains of L. monocytogenes that varied in their ability to cause disease and respond to stresses was determined. These sequences are being compared to determine the genes involved in virulence (disease causing ability) and stress responses, and the genome sequences were deposited in the publicly available GenBank genetic sequence database. The information obtained from this research helps in the design of strategies to control L. monocytogenes in food, and potentially in the development of more effective therapeutic approaches.

Technical Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of seven L. monocytogenes strains isolated from food, environmental, and clinical sources. Sequence differences at the genome level may help in understanding why these strains displayed different virulence and stress response characteristics.