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SHORT REPORT

A Mutation in the luxS Gene Influences Listeria monocytogenes Biofilm Formation

Microbial Food-Safety Research Unit, Department of Food Sciences, Institute for Technology and Storage of Fresh Produce,¹ Confocal Microscopy Unit, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Beth-Dagan, Israel²

Received 9 January 2006/ Accepted 1 June 2006

Using a Vibrio harveyi reporter strain, we demonstrated that Listeria monocytogenes secretes a functional autoinducer 2 (AI-2)-like signal. A luxS-deficient mutant produced a denser biofilm and attached to a glass surface 19-fold better than the parent strain. Exogenous AI-2 failed to restore the wild-type phenotype to the mutant. It seems that an intact luxS gene is associated with repression of components required for attachment and biofilm formation.