Function analysis of LIPI-4 in Listeria monocytogenes reveals a key role of flagella formation in the regulation of virulence

Listeria pathogenicity island 4 (LIPI-4), a newly discovered virulence gene cluster, plays a critical role in the development of central nervous system infections and maternal-fetal infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes. This study aimed to clarify the pathogenic role of LIPI-4 in L. monocytog...

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Main Authors: Caixia Liu, Xun Ma, Bin Jia, Ruixuan Qian, Shengjie Gao, Lu Liu, Yatao Qi, Zhongke Yin, Guangdong Hu, Jing Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Virulence
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21505594.2025.2543144
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Summary:Listeria pathogenicity island 4 (LIPI-4), a newly discovered virulence gene cluster, plays a critical role in the development of central nervous system infections and maternal-fetal infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes. This study aimed to clarify the pathogenic role of LIPI-4 in L. monocytogenes. Our findings revealed that LIPI-4 is involved in the invasion and intracellular proliferation of L. monocytogenes in Caco-2, hCMEC/D3, HTR-8/Svneo, and RAW264.7 cells and facilitates its intercellular migration. Further investigations demonstrated that the deletion of LIPI-4 significantly reduces bacterial motility and impairs flagellum formation. Transcriptomic analysis further indicated that LIPI-4 regulates flagellum formation by modulating microbial metabolic processes and carbon metabolism. Our research demonstrates that LIPI-4 promotes flagellum formation through metabolic regulation, thereby enhancing L. monocytogenes colonization and cellular invasion. This discovery provides novel insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of L. monocytogenes.
ISSN:2150-5594
2150-5608