Open AccessIdentification of Listeria monocytogenes Genes Involved in Salt and Alkaline-pH Tolerance
Author(s) -
Rozenn Gardan,
Pascale Cossart,
Jean-Claude Labadie
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
applied and environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 324
eISSN - 1070-6291
pISSN - 0099-2240
DOI - 10.1128/aem.69.6.3137-3143.2003
Subject(s) - transposable element , mutant , gene , biology , listeria monocytogenes , genetics , transposon mutagenesis , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria
The capacity of Listeria monocytogenes to tolerate salt and alkaline stresses is of particular importance, as this pathogen is often exposed to such environments during food processing and food preservation. We screened a library of Tn917-lacZ insertional mutants in order to identify genes involved in salt and/or alkaline tolerance. We isolated six mutants sensitive to salt stress and 12 mutants sensitive to salt and alkaline stresses. The position of the insertion of the transposon was located in 15 of these mutants. In six mutants the transposon was inserted in intergenic regions, and in nine mutants it was inserted in genes. Most of the genes have unknown functions, but sequence comparisons indicated that they encode putative transporters.