Article Abstract:
Intracellular accumulation of proline does not increase the infectivity of Listeria monocytogenes but does appear to increase its resistance to high salt concentrations and other environments of high osmolarity. Proline is one of the three major solutes in Listeria along with betaine and carnitine.
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Article Abstract:
Proline does not appear to be a virulence factor or an osmolyte in Listeria monocytogenes. Mutants that overproduced proline were no more salt-tolerant or virulent in mice than the wild type.
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Article Abstract:
The first genetic analysis of compatible solute transport in Listeria was conducted with the isolation, characterization and disruption of betL, a gene which plays an important role in glycine betaine uptake in L monocytogenes. The betL gene is preceded by a consensus sigma(super B)-dependent promoter and is predicted to encode a 55-kDa protein with 12 transmembrane regions. The gene also shows significant sequence homologies to other glycine betaine transporters. A betL knockout mutant which is affected in its ability to accumulate glycine betaine in the presence or absence of NaCl has been constructed in L monocytogenes and has been found to be unable to withstand concentrations of salt as high as the BetL+ parent can.
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