This project will combine the efforts of research groups at Cornell, the Technical University of Munich, and at the Wadsworth Center to quantify and statistically model associations between clonal Listeria monocytogenes groups and different environments and hosts. An independently funded parallel study in China will allow us to evaluate whether patterns and associations in the US are broadly applicable. Preliminary results show (i) that clonal L. monocytogenes groups differ in their likelihood to cause human and animal disease and (ii) that L. monocytogenes virulence genes appear to also be functionally important outside mammalian hosts (e.g., for interactions with protozoan cells). Laboratory studies will characterize phenotypes of clonal subgroups associated with specific environments or host species to determine the biological relevance of associations among clonal L. monocytogenes groups and different habitats. Laboratory studies will also define specific habitats (including non-mammalian host species) that may provide selective pressures for maintenance of virulence genes and the emergence of new L. monocytogenes strains. The outcome of this project will be a model of transmission dynamics of Listeria clonal groups and of environmental, host, and agent factors affecting transmission dynamics. Our studies will define environments likely to significantly and directly affect Listeria transmission dynamics when influenced by anthropogenic changes. The specific objectives of our study are: 1. Determine the distribution of clonal L. monocytogenes groups among (i) human hosts; (ii) non-primate mammalian hosts; and (iii) non-host related environments using culturing techniques and molecular and phenotypic approaches for characterization of isolates. 2. In parallel to Objective 1, use non-culturing-based techniques to determine the distribution of L. monocytogenes clonal groups in different environments using molecular approaches to avoid culturing bias. 3. Determine associations between L. monocytogenes clonal groups and different environments and host species and develop a transmission model for different clonal groups. 4. Determine the phenotypes of L. monocytogenes clonal groups associated with specific environments and hosts and determine the genetic basis for phenotypes associated with a preference for specific habitats.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM063259-04
Application #
6706388
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAI1-GSM-F (S1))
Program Officer
Eckstrand, Irene A
Project Start
2001-03-01
Project End
2006-02-28
Budget Start
2004-03-01
Budget End
2006-02-28
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$299,412
Indirect Cost
Name
Cornell University
Department
Nutrition
Type
Schools of Earth Sciences/Natur
DUNS #
872612445
City
Ithaca
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14850
Sauders, Brian D; Overdevest, Jon; Fortes, Esther et al. (2012) Diversity of Listeria species in urban and natural environments. Appl Environ Microbiol 78:4420-33
Tsai, Yeu-Harn Lucy; Maron, Steve B; McGann, Patrick et al. (2011) Recombination and positive selection contributed to the evolution of Listeria monocytogenes lineages III and IV, two distinct and well supported uncommon L. monocytogenes lineages. Infect Genet Evol 11:1881-90
Orsi, Renato H; Maron, Steven B; Nightingale, Kendra K et al. (2008) Lineage specific recombination and positive selection in coding and intragenic regions contributed to evolution of the main Listeria monocytogenes virulence gene cluster. Infect Genet Evol 8:566-76
Nightingale, K K; Milillo, S R; Ivy, R A et al. (2007) Listeria monocytogenes F2365 carries several authentic mutations potentially leading to truncated gene products, including inlB, and demonstrates atypical phenotypic characteristics. J Food Prot 70:482-8
Jia, Yingmin; Nightingale, Kendra K; Boor, Kathryn J et al. (2007) Distribution of internalin gene profiles of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from different sources associated with phylogenetic lineages. Foodborne Pathog Dis 4:222-32
Roberts, Angela J; Wiedmann, Martin (2006) Allelic exchange and site-directed mutagenesis probe the contribution of ActA amino-acid variability to phosphorylation and virulence-associated phenotypes among Listeria monocytogenes strains. FEMS Microbiol Lett 254:300-7
Nightingale, K K; Lyles, K; Ayodele, M et al. (2006) Novel method to identify source-associated phylogenetic clustering shows that Listeria monocytogenes includes niche-adapted clonal groups with distinct ecological preferences. J Clin Microbiol 44:3742-51
Tsai, Yeu-Harn L; Orsi, Renato H; Nightingale, Kendra K et al. (2006) Listeria monocytogenes internalins are highly diverse and evolved by recombination and positive selection. Infect Genet Evol 6:378-89
Sauders, Brian D; Schukken, Ynte; Kornstein, Laura et al. (2006) Molecular epidemiology and cluster analysis of human listeriosis cases in three U.S. states. J Food Prot 69:1680-9
Roberts, Angela; Nightingale, Kendra; Jeffers, Greg et al. (2006) Genetic and phenotypic characterization of Listeria monocytogenes lineage III. Microbiology 152:685-93

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