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- Title
Bacteriophage predation promotes serovar diversification in L isteria monocytogenes.
- Authors
Eugster, Marcel R.; Morax, Laurent S.; Hüls, Vanessa J.; Huwiler, Simona G.; Leclercq, Alexandre; Lecuit, Marc; Loessner, Martin J.
- Abstract
L isteria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen classified into distinct serovars ( SVs) based on somatic and flagellar antigens. To correlate phenotype with genetic variation, we analyzed the wall teichoic acid ( WTA) glycosylation genes of SV 1/2, 3 and 7 strains, which differ in decoration of the ribitol-phosphate backbone with N-acetylglucosamine ( GlcNAc) and/or rhamnose. Inactivation of lmo1080 or the dTDP- l-rhamnose biosynthesis genes rml ACBD ( lmo1081-1084) resulted in loss of rhamnose, whereas disruption of lmo1079 led to GlcNAc deficiency. We found that all SV 3 and 7 strains actually originate from a SV 1/2 background, as a result of small mutations in WTA rhamnosylation and/or Glc NAcylation genes. Genetic complementation of different SV 3 and 7 isolates using intact alleles fully restored a characteristic SV 1/2 WTA carbohydrate pattern, including antisera reactions and phage adsorption. Intriguingly, phage-resistant L . monocytogenes EGDe ( SV 1/2a) isolates featured the same glycosylation gene mutations and were serotyped as SV 3 or 7 respectively. Again, genetic complementation restored both carbohydrate antigens and phage susceptibility. Taken together, our data demonstrate that L . monocytogenes SV 3 and 7 originate from point mutations in glycosylation genes, and we show that phage predation represents a major driving force for serovar diversification and evolution of L . monocytogenes.
- Subjects
LISTERIA monocytogenes; BACTERIOPHAGE genetics; GENETIC mutation; PREDATION; GLYCOSYLATION; SEROTYPING
- Publication
Molecular Microbiology, 2015, Vol 97, Issue 1, p33
- ISSN
0950-382X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/mmi.13009