Sleator, RD,Clifford, T,Hill, C

2007

July

Medical Hypotheses

Gut osmolarity: A key environmental cue initiating the gastrointestinal phase of Listeria monocytogenes infection?

Validated

()

BACTERIAL STRESS VIRULENCE GASTROENTERITIS TOLERANCE SYSTEM BILE

69

1090

1092

In addition to the severe invasive systemic disease of listeriosis, recent evidence suggests that the Gram-positive intracellular bacterial. pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is also a causative agent of febrile gastroenteritis. We examined the listerial response to stresses normally encountered in the upper small intestine and demonstrate that osmotic stress appears to be at the top of the hierarchy of stress responses during gastrointestinal residence. Furthermore, we suggest that the increased osmolarity of the gastrointestinal lumen may be interpreted as an environmental cue signalling gut entry and that the underlying genetic element governing this response is the alternative stress sigma factor sigma(B). (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI 10.1016/j.mehy.2007.02.028