Abstract
To examine the role of the four putative DEAD-box RNA helicase genes of Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e in stress tolerance, the growth of the Δlmo0866, Δlmo1246, Δlmo1450, and Δlmo1722 deletion mutant strains at 42.5°C, at pH 5.6 or pH 9.4, in 6% NaCl, in 3.5% ethanol, and in 5 mM H(2)O(2) was studied. Restricted growth of the Δlmo0866 deletion mutant strain in 3.5% ethanol suggests that Lmo0866 contributes to ethanol stress tolerance of L. monocytogenes EGD-e. The Δlmo1450 mutant strain showed negligible growth at 42.5°C, at pH 9.4, and in 5 mM H(2)O(2) and a lower maximum growth temperature than the wild-type EGD-e, suggesting that Lmo1450 is involved in the tolerance of L. monocytogenes EGD-e to heat, alkali, and oxidative stresses. The altered stress tolerance of the Δlmo0866 and Δlmo1450 deletion mutant strains did not correlate with changes in relative expression levels of lmo0866 and lmo1450 genes under corresponding stresses, suggesting that Lmo0866- and Lmo1450-dependent tolerance to heat, alkali, ethanol, or oxidative stress is not regulated at the transcriptional level. Growth of the Δlmo1246 and Δlmo1722 deletion mutant strains did not differ from that of the wild-type EGD-e under any of the conditions tested, suggesting that Lmo1246 and Lmo1722 have no roles in the growth of L. monocytogenes EGD-e under heat, pH, osmotic, ethanol, or oxidative stress. This study shows that the putative DEAD-box RNA helicase genes lmo0866 and lmo1450 play important roles in tolerance of L. monocytogenes EGD-e to ethanol, heat, alkali, and oxidative stresses.