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. 2022 Feb 28;10(3):532.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10030532.

Genetic Diversity and Relationships of Listeria monocytogenes Serogroup IIa Isolated in Poland

Beata Lachtara  1 , Kinga Wieczorek  1 , Jacek Osek  1
Affiliations

Genetic Diversity and Relationships of Listeria monocytogenes Serogroup IIa Isolated in Poland

Beata Lachtara et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

In the present study, 100 L. monocytogenes isolates of serogroup IIa from food and food production environments in Poland were characterized towards the presence of virulence, resistance, and stress response genes using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). The strains were also molecularly typed and compared with multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and core genome MLST analyses. The present isolates were grouped into 6 sublineages (SLs), with the most prevalent SL155 (33 isolates), SL121 (32 isolates), and SL8 (28 isolates) and classified into six clonal complexes, with the most prevalent CC155 (33 strains), CC121 (32 isolates), and CC8 (28 strains). Furthermore, the strains were grouped to eight sequence types, with the most prevalent ST155 (33 strains), ST121 (30 isolates), and ST8 (28; strains) followed by 60 cgMLST types (CTs). WGS data showed the presence of several virulence genes or putative molecular markers playing a role in pathogenesis of listeriosis and involved in survival of L. monocytogenes in adverse environmental conditions. Some of the present strains were molecularly closely related to L. monocytogenes previously isolated in Poland. The results of the study showed that food and food production environments may be a source of L. monocytogenes of serogroup IIa with pathogenic potential.

Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes; WGS; food; molecular typing; serogroup IIa.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of clonal complexes (CCs) among of 100 L. monocytogenes isolates tested (RTE, ready-to-eat meat; FPEs, food production environments).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of sequences types (STs) among of 100 L. monocytogenes isolates tested (RTE, ready-to-eat meat; FPEs, food production environments).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of cgMLST types (CTs) among of 100 L. monocytogenes isolates tested, which were identified in more than one isolate.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Minimum spanning tree (MST) based on the cgMLST profiles of L. monocytogenes CC155 tested in the present study with publicly available six strains of CC155 from Poland. The Source of the isolates are represented by colored circles where the size is proportional to the number of strains. Numbers on the branches show alleles differences between neighboring nodes (CTs). The strain numbers in bold represent L. monocytogenes isolates from the present study.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Minimum spanning tree (MST) based on the cgMLST profiles of L. monocytogenes CC121 tested in the present study with publicly available 20 strains of CC121 from Poland. Source of the isolates are represented by colored circles where the size is proportional to the number of strains. Numbers on the branches show alleles differences between neighboring nodes (CTs). The strain numbers in bold represent L. monocytogenes isolates from the present study.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Minimum spanning tree (MST) based on the cgMLST profiles of L. monocytogenes CC8 tested in the present study with publicly available twelve strains of CC8 from Poland. Source of the isolates are represented by colored circles where the size is proportional to the number of strains. Numbers on the branches show alleles differences between neighboring nodes (CTs). The strain numbers in bold represent L. monocytogenes isolates from the present study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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