How Listeria monocytogenes organizes its surface for virulence Original paper
Researched by:
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Divine Aleru
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Divine Aleru
Read MoreI am a biochemist with a deep curiosity for the human microbiome and how it shapes human health, and I enjoy making microbiome science more accessible through research and writing. With 2 years experience in microbiome research, I have curated microbiome studies, analyzed microbial signatures, and now focus on interventions as a Microbiome Signatures and Interventions Research Coordinator.
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Microbes
Microbes
Microbes are microscopic organisms living in and on the human body, shaping health through digestion, vitamin production, and immune protection. When microbial balance is disrupted, disease can occur. This guide explains key microbe types—bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and archaea—plus major pathogenic and beneficial examples.
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Divine Aleru
Read More
Researched by:
-
Divine Aleru
ID
Divine Aleru
Read More
Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Divine Aleru
What Was Studied?
This study focused on the role of surface proteins in the virulence of Listeria monocytogenes. It specifically examined how the bacteria organize its surface, including surface proteins such as internalins (InlA, InlH), in response to different environmental conditions. The study explored how these proteins contribute to the bacteria’s ability to infect and survive in host tissues, including their adaptation to intracellular growth and their involvement in immune evasion.
Who Was Studied?
The study investigated Listeria monocytogenes, focusing on its surface proteins and how they are regulated during infection. The study did not examine human or animal subjects directly but used murine models, macrophages, and Caco-2 cells to understand the bacterium’s behavior in infected hosts.
What Were the Most Important Findings?
The study found that Listeria monocytogenes exhibits a highly dynamic regulation of its surface proteins, which plays a crucial role in its virulence. Specifically, surface proteins like InlA and InlH were upregulated in the mouse spleen, aiding in the bacteria’s invasion and intracellular survival. On the other hand, in the mouse intestinal lumen, these proteins were downregulated, possibly to prevent premature expression that could hinder infection. The bacteria fine-tunes the expression of these virulence factors depending on the infection phase, with some proteins being expressed at higher levels in intracellular environments to assist in vacuole escape, motility, and multiplication. Furthermore, the study highlighted the importance of spatial regulation of these proteins, with certain virulence-associated proteins, such as InlA and InlH, being localized at specific regions of the bacterial surface.
What Are the Greatest Implications of This Study?
This study underscores the importance of precise regulation of virulence factors for Listeria monocytogenes to successfully infect and propagate within a host. Understanding the spatial and temporal regulation of surface proteins like InlA and InlH could open new therapeutic avenues for combating listeriosis. Targeting these proteins or their regulatory pathways may reduce the bacterium’s ability to infect and evade immune responses, offering a potential strategy for developing more effective treatments for infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes.
Listeria monocytogenes
Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic pathogen capable of surviving in diverse environments, including soil, water, and decaying vegetation. L. monocytogenes has the unique ability to evade the immune system by moving directly from cell to cell within the host. This intracellular lifestyle allows the bacterium to avoid extracellular immune detection, contributing to its ability to cause invasive diseases like meningitis and septicemia, particularly in the elderly and immunocompromised.