Open AccessREALIS: Postgenomic analysis of Listeria monocytogenes
Author(s) -
Kärst Uwe
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
comparative and functional genomics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1532-6268
pISSN - 1531-6912
DOI - 10.1002/cfg.137
Subject(s) - listeria monocytogenes , biology , listeria , traceability , pathogen , host (biology) , disease , computational biology , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , computer science , medicine , bacteria , software engineering , pathology
Listeria monocytogenes is a remarkably successful food‐borne pathogen.It is capable a) of surviving and proliferating under conditions that existwithin the food chain, such as at low temperatures, high salt and low pH andb) of colonizing animal host tissues after ingestion of contaminated food,causing opportunistic infections mainly, but not exclusively, in immunocompromisedhosts. The ultimate goals of REALIS are two fold: Firstly, it aims to completelydecipher all genes required for survival in and adaptation of Listeriamonocytogenes to two very different environments, ie., the infected hostand the external environment. Secondly, using genomics and postgenomic tools,REALIS seeks to precisely address fundamental questions regarding evolutionaryrelationships between pathogenic and non‐pathogenic Listeria and to definequalities of particularly successful clonal pathovariants in causing disease. This project will provide both industry and health care managers with rationalapproaches to curbing food‐borne contamination, minimising risks of infectionand providing novel pharmacological approaches for halting the fulminantcourse of infection. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.