Biotechnology Bulletin ›› 2023, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (2): 254-262.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2022-0421

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Role of agr System in the Antimicrobial Resistance and Biofilm Formation of Listeria monocytogenes

REN Si-yu1(), JIANG Cong-yi1, YU Tao2, KANG Rui1, JIANG Xiao-bing1()   

  1. 1. College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007
    2. School of Life Sciences & Basic Medicine, Xinxiang University, Xinxiang 453000
  • Received:2022-04-07 Online:2023-02-26 Published:2023-03-07

Abstract:

This work aims to investigate the role of agr system in antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation of Listeria monocytogenes(Lm). Gene deletion mutants of agr system were constructed and antimicrobial susceptibility of the mutants was determined. The microplate method was used to measure the biofilm biomass at different temperature, and the inverted microscope was applied to observe the biofilm structure. Plate migration method was to investigate the swimming and swarming motilities of strains. RT-qPCR was adapted to detect the relative expressions of motility-associated genes. Reduced antimicrobial resistances to cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin and benzalkonium chloride were observed in the agr deletion mutants. Compared with the wild type EGD-e, the mutant strains showed decreasing biofilm biomass at 37℃, 20℃ and 4℃; and increased swarming motility was observed in ∆agrC. Results from RT-qPCR showed that the transcription level of flaA in the agr deletion mutants decreased. agr system is involved in antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes.

Key words: Listeria monocytogenes, agr system, antimicrobial resistance, biofilm