Listeria monocytogenes batch culture growth response to metabolic inhibitors

In certain environments nutrient and energy sources available to microorganisms can be limited. Foodborne pathogens must efficiently adapt in order to be successfully transmitted through the food chain to their hosts. For the intracellular foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, little is known regarding its response to nutrient/energy-limiting conditions. The alternative stress responsive sigma factor σ(B) has been reported to contribute to survival under specific stresses. Therefore, the effects of several metabolic inhibitors on growth of L. monocytogenes wild-type and a ΔsigB mutant were examined. In the absence of inhibitors, both strains reached stationary phase after 18 h at 23°C and 10 h at 37°C. All of the metabolic inhibitors slowed growth of either strain, with few differences observed among the different inhibitors.