REPRESSION OF MOTILITY AND FLAGELLIN PRODUCTION AT 37-DEGREES-C IS STRONGER IN LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES THAN IN THE NONPATHOGENIC SPECIES LISTERIA-INNOCUA
S. Kathariou et al., REPRESSION OF MOTILITY AND FLAGELLIN PRODUCTION AT 37-DEGREES-C IS STRONGER IN LISTERIA-MONOCYTOGENES THAN IN THE NONPATHOGENIC SPECIES LISTERIA-INNOCUA, Canadian journal of microbiology, 41(7), 1995, pp. 572-577
Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua differ markedly in virulen
ce but are indistinguishable by classical taxonomic criteria. Both spe
cies are actively motile and produce abundant flagellin at 22 degrees
C. We have found, however, noticeable differences between L. monocytog
enes and L. innocua in motility and flagellin production at 37 degrees
C. At this temperature, L. monocytogenes strains were virtually nonmo
tile and produced little or no detectable flagellin, whereas strains o
f L. innocua were frequently motile and produced substantial amounts o
f flagellin. This flagellin was recognized by a Listeria genus-specifi
c monoclonal antibody that also recognized flagellin produced at 22 de
grees C. These results suggest differential regulation of flagellin pr
oduction between L, monocytogenes and L. innocua at 37 degrees C.