AUTHOR=Zhang Lu , Wang Yan , Liu Dongxin , Luo Lijuan , Wang Yi , Ye Changyun 

TITLE=Identification and Characterization of als Genes Involved in D-Allose Metabolism in Lineage II Strain of Listeria monocytogenes

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.00621

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2018.00621

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Listeria monocytogenes</italic>, an important food-borne pathogen, causes listeriosis and is widely distributed in many different environments. In a previous study, we developed a novel enrichment broth containing D-allose that allows better isolation of <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic> from samples. However, the mechanism of D-allose utilization by <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic> remains unclear. In the present study, we determined the metabolism of D-allose in <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic> and found that lineage II strains of <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic> can utilize D-allose as the sole carbon source for growth, but lineage I and III strains cannot. Transcriptome analysis and sequence alignment identified six genes (<italic>lmo0734</italic> to <italic>0739</italic>) possibly related to D-allose metabolism that are only present in the genomes of lineage II strains. Recombinant strain ICDC-LM188 containing these genes showed utilization of D-allose by growth assays and Biolog phenotype microarrays. Moreover, <italic>lmo0734</italic> to <italic>0736</italic> were verified to be essential for D-allose metabolism, <italic>lmo0737</italic> and <italic>0738</italic> affected the growth rate of <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic> in D-allose medium, while <italic>lmo0739</italic> was dispensable in the metabolism of D-allose in <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic>. This is the first study to identify the genes related to D-allose metabolism in <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic>, and their distribution in lineage II strains. Our study preliminarily determined the effects of these genes on the growth of <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic>, which will benefit the isolation and epidemiological research of <italic>L. monocytogenes</italic>.</p>