Response of sensitive and resistant Listeria monocytogenes strains against bacteriocins produced by different Enterococcus spp. strains

Listeria monocytogenes is a relevant foodborne pathogen causing invasive listeriosis in humans, a disease with high mortality rates. Its ubiquity and growth characteristics enable this pathogen to survive harsh food pro-cessing environments. The addition of bacteriocins, antimicrobial peptides ribosomally synthesized by certain bacteria, appears as a natural alternative to control this pathogen in food. However, the emergence of L. monocytogenes strains resistant to the inhibitory action of bacteriocins has been detected. In order to analyse the development of this resistance, different properties of L. monocytogenes strains susceptible to bacteriocins (strains 01/155, 99/287 and 99/267) and their respective resistant isolates (strains 01/155B6R, 99/287B6R, 99/ 286C1R, 99/287 Mo1R, 99/287 M1bR, 99/287 M2dR, 99/267B6R), were compared in this work. Differences were analysed in: a) growth of the pathogen strains in direct contact with bacteriocin solution, in co-cultures with the producing strain, or with different sugars; b) response to antibiotics typically used against listeriosis; c) changes in cell morphology, observed by transmission or scanning electron microscopy; d) expression of mobility and haemolysin activity, two of L. monocytogenes main virulence factors; and e) biofilm formation ability. For all the isolates, the acquired resistance was permanent and crossed between the different bacteriocins under study. An inhibitory effect was observed for resistant strains only when they were grown in mixed culture with any of the bacteriocin-producing strains, with an acidified medium as additional growth stress. In all cases, the decrease in viability was lower for resistant strains and followed a particular profile for each strain. The variation of sugar substrate influenced resistant variants growth ability, with a more pronounced difference in the medium supplemented with glucose. Susceptibility to antibiotics was similar or higher for resistant variants, while neither the mobility nor the haemolytic activity presented differences among resistant or susceptible strains. Finally, the resistant variants showed a greater capacity to form biofilms, although this effect was reversed when grown in the presence of bacteriocins. Each resistant isolate had a particular behaviour pattern, and the acquisition of resistance appeared to be strain and bacteriocin dependent. These results contribute to the knowledge of L. monocytogenes bacteriocin-resistance development, which is essential to favour the use of these peptides as biopreservatives.

Automated summary

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can survive in harsh food processing environments. The use of bacteriocins as a natural alternative to control this pathogen has been hindered by the emergence of resistant strains. This study compares the properties of susceptible and resistant strains, including growth, antibiotic susceptibility, cell morphology, virulence factor expression, and biofilm formation. The results contribute to the understanding of bacteriocin-resistance development in L. monocytogenes and its implications for the use of these peptides as biopreservatives.