Infection

, Volume 16, Supplement 2, pp S157–S159 | Cite as

The listeriolysin O gene: A chromosomal locus crucial for the virulence of Listeria monocytogenes

  • P. Cossart
Virulence

Summary

In culture supernatants of a Tn 1545-induced non-hemolytic mutant ofListeria monocytogenes, by immunoblotting with an anti-serum raised against purified listeriolysin O, we have detected the presence of a truncated protein of 52,000D (the secreted listeriolysin O is 60,000D). The region of insertion of the transposon has been cloned and sequenced. The transposon had inserted in an open reading frame. The homologies detected between this ORF, streptolysin O and pneumolysin demonstrate the the transposon had indeed inserted in the listeriolysin O gene. As the non-hemolytic mutant was non-virulent, our work demonstrated that a genetic determinant essential for virulence is the listeriolysin O gene or its adjacent region.

Keywords

Public Health Internal Medicine Infectious Disease General Practice Culture Supernatant 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Das Listeriolysin O-Gen: ein für die Virulenz von Listeria monocytogenes entscheidender Chromosomenabschnitt

Zusammenfassung

Wir haben in Kulturüberständen einer Tn1545-induzierten, nicht-hämolysierenden Mutante vonListeria monocytogenes mittels Immunblotting mit Antiserum gegen gereinigtes Listeriolysin ein Eiweißmolekül von 52000D entdeckt (das sezernierte Listeriolysin O hat ein Molekulargewicht von 60000D). Die Insertionsstelle des Transposon wurde kloniert und einer Sequenzanalyse unterworfen. Das Transposon hatte an einem offenen Ableseraster (ORF) inseriert. Zwischen diesem ORF, Streptolysin O und Pneumolysin wurden Homologien festgestellt, die zeigen, daß das Transposon tatsächlich am Listeriolysin-Gen inseriert hatte. Da die nicht-hämolysierende Mutante avirulent war, konnten wir mit unserer Arbeit nachweisen, daß für die Virulenz die Anwesenheit des Listeriolysin-Gen oder seiner angrenzenden Region erforderlich ist.

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Copyright information

© MMV Medizin Verlag GmbH München 1988

Authors and Affiliations

  • P. Cossart
    • 1
  1. 1.Département des Biotechnologies, Institut PasteurUnité de Genie MicrobiologiqueParis

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