Listeria monocytogenes

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive, intracellular bacterial pathogen responsible for severe food-borne illnesses resulting in central nervous system infection or abortion. L. monocytogenes induces its own internalization into mammalian cells, escapes from the host cell phagosome, replicates extensively in the cytosol, and spreads from one host cell to another through an F-actin-dependent motility process. Previously, classical genetic approaches were used to identify bacterial virulence factors critical for the intracellular life cycle of L. monocytogenes. The recent availability of the nucleotide sequence of L. monocytogenes has provided the potential for global analysis of bacterial proteins that affect pathogenesis. In this chapter, ways in which the L. monocytogenes genome has been used to probe the functions of bacterial proteins in virulence is discussed. At the end of the chapter, future genomic-or proteomic-based approaches that might improve or expand on current work are highlighted. © 2006 Humana Press Inc.