This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Verheul, A.
Right arrow Articles by Abee, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Verheul, A.
Right arrow Articles by Abee, T.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Verheul, A.
Right arrow Articles by Abee, T.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol, March 1998, p. 1059-1065, Vol. 64, No. 3
0099-2240/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Utilization of Oligopeptides by Listeria monocytogenes Scott A

Annette Verheul,dagger Frank M. Rombouts, and Tjakko Abee*

Department of Food Science, Food Chemistry/Microbiology Section, Agricultural University Wageningen, Wageningen, The Netherlands

Received 19 June 1997/Accepted 10 December 1997

For effective utilization of peptides, Listeria monocytogenes possesses two different peptide transport systems. The first one is the previously described proton motive force (PMF)-driven di- and tripeptide transport system (A. Verheul, A. Hagting, M.-R. Amezaga, I. R. Booth, F. M. Rombouts, and T. Abee, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61:226-233, 1995). The present results reveal that L. monocytogenes possesses an oligopeptide transport system, presumably requiring ATP rather than the PMF as the driving force for translocation. Experiments to determine growth in a defined medium containing peptides of various lengths suggested that the oligopeptide permease transports peptides of up to 8 amino acid residues. Peptidase activities towards several oligopeptides were demonstrated in cell extract from L. monocytogenes, which indicates that upon internalization, the oligopeptides are hydrolyzed to serve as sources of amino acids for growth. The peptide transporters of the nonproteolytic L. monocytogenes might play an important role in foods that harbor indigenous proteinases and/or proteolytic microorganisms, since Pseudomonas fragi as well as Bacillus cereus was found to enhance the growth of L. monocytogenes to a large extent in a medium in which the milk protein casein was the sole source of nitrogen. In addition, growth stimulation was elicited in this medium when casein was hydrolyzed by using purified protease from Bacillus licheniformis. The possible contribution of the oligopeptide transport system in the establishment of high numbers of L. monocytogenes cells in fermented milk products is discussed.


* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Food Science, Food Chemistry/Microbiology Section, Agricultural University Wageningen, Bomenweg 2, 6703 HD Wageningen, The Netherlands. Phone: 31317484981. Fax: 31317484893. E-mail: tjakko.abee{at}algemeen.lenm.wau.nl.

dagger Present address: Netherlands Institute for Dairy Research, 6710 BA Ede, The Netherlands.




This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Liu, Y., Ream, A. (2008). Gene Expression Profiling of Listeria monocytogenes Strain F2365 during Growth in Ultrahigh-Temperature-Processed Skim Milk. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 6859-6866 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chan, Y. C., Boor, K. J., Wiedmann, M. (2007). {sigma}B-Dependent and {sigma}B-Independent Mechanisms Contribute to Transcription of Listeria monocytogenes Cold Stress Genes during Cold Shock and Cold Growth. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 6019-6029 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wouters, J. A., Hain, T., Darji, A., Hufner, E., Wemekamp-Kamphuis, H., Chakraborty, T., Abee, T. (2005). Identification and Characterization of Di- and Tripeptide Transporter DtpT of Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 5771-5778 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sleator, R. D., Gahan, C. G. M., Hill, C. (2003). A Postgenomic Appraisal of Osmotolerance in Listeria monocytogenes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69: 1-9 [Full Text]  
  • Garault, P., Le Bars, D., Besset, C., Monnet, V. (2002). Three Oligopeptide-binding Proteins Are Involved in the Oligopeptide Transport of Streptococcus thermophilus. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 32-39 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Borezee, E., Pellegrini, E., Berche, P. (2000). OppA of Listeria monocytogenes, an Oligopeptide-Binding Protein Required for Bacterial Growth at Low Temperature and Involved in Intracellular Survival. Infect. Immun. 68: 7069-7077 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fraser, K. R., Harvie, D., Coote, P. J., O'Byrne, C. P. (2000). Identification and Characterization of an ATP Binding Cassette L-Carnitine Transporter in Listeria monocytogenes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 4696-4704 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Amezaga, M.-R., Booth, I. R. (1999). Osmoprotection of Escherichia coli by Peptone Is Mediated by the Uptake and Accumulation of Free Proline but Not of Proline-Containing Peptides. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 5272-5278 [Abstract] [Full Text]