Shear stress adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes in mono and dual-species biofilms
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Date
2025-12-01
Open Access Location
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Rights
(c) 2025 The Author/s
CC BY 4.0
CC BY 4.0
Abstract
While the impact of stress on L. monocytogenes associated with food processing has been recognized in planktonic conditions, the available research overlooks the response of this pathogen in the multi-species biofilm, commonly found in food processing and manufacture. The objective of this study was to understand the effect of shear stress on L. monocytogenes in single and dual-species (with P. fluorescens) biofilm formed in a continuous turbulent flow system. In the single-species biofilm, L. monocytogenes was able to form a biofilm under the turbulent flow with cell concentration reaching 5.1 log CFU/cm2 after 48 h, where filamentous cells (27.7 μm in length) were observed. In contrast, there were no visible filaments in the dual-species biofilm, and L. monocytogenes cell concentration was significantly higher (p < 0.001) at 8.7 log CFU/cm2. The cells harvested from single-species L. monocytogenes biofilm formed under turbulent flow showed significantly (p < 0.001) lower motility and higher adhesion compared with cells harvested from planktonic and static conditions. Gene expression analysis showed significant (p < 0.001) downregulation of motB (motility), sigB (stress), and cell division (ftsX and ftsW), and upregulation of mpl (adhesion) and rodA (rod shape), indicating L. monocytogenes adaptation to shear stress. This study provides fundamental information on the multi-species biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes under stress.
Description
Keywords
Filaments, Motility, Adhesion, Knitted biofilm, Gene expression
Citation
Pant K, Palmer J, Flint S. (2025). Shear stress adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes in mono and dual-species biofilms. Food Research International. 221. Part 1.