Presenter(s)

Lexi Diane Brezovec

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Description

Listeria is a dangerous human pathogen transmitted through consumption of contaminated food products. During infections, Listeria is exposed to the anaerobic intestinal lumen. However, the mechanisms modulating how Listeria responds to the anaerobic environment are not fully understood. I completed experiments to help understand the role of the FNR/CRP family of transcription factors in Listeria and their response to anaerobic conditions. I did this by comparing wildtype Listeria and mutants deficient in FNR/CRP transcription factors in their ability to produce the toxin, listeriolysin O. If a specific transcription factor is involved, the mutant deficient in that factor would exhibit a different phenotype from the wildtype bacteria. After testing 3 out of the 13 mutants, I found that each mutant, similarly to the WT, produced more listeriolysin O under anaerobic conditions than aerobic conditions. My preliminary results confirm that Listeria can regulate listeriolysin O production in response to anaerobic conditions. I will continue my investigations in the future on the remaining 10 mutants, testing the different responses in aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

Publication Date

4-18-2018

Project Designation

Independent Research

Primary Advisor

Yvonne Y. Sun

Primary Advisor's Department

Biology

Keywords

Stander Symposium project

The Role of FNR/CRP Regulators in Listeria Aerobic and Anaerobic Production of Listeriolyin O

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