<p1><i>Listeria monocytogenes </i> is a gram-positive, rod-shaped, food-borne bacterium, capable of causing the rare but potentially fatal disease listeriosis. L.monocytogenes can replicate at temperatures as low as 0°C allowing it to survive in industrial and domestic refrigerators. <i>L.monocytogenes</i> can often grow in soft cheeses, making many varieties of cheese unavailable to those who are immunosuppressed. Man-Cheester aims to modify <i>Lactococcus lactis</i>, a common bacterium in cheese manufacture. We will transform <i>L. lactis</i> in a cheese starter culture to detect AIP, a key quorum signalling molecule produced by <i>L. monocytogenes</i>. This will be done by expressing the agr quorum-sensing system used by <i>L.monocytogenes</i> in <i>L. lactis</i>. On detection of AIP, a colour change will occur within <i>L. lactis</i> causing the cheese to turn purple, alerting the consumer to its contamination. Our concept could be further developed to include other sources of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> contamination such as meats and vegetables to prevent as many cases of listeriosis as possible.</p1>
+
<p1><i>Listeria monocytogenes<i> is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, food-borne bacterium, capable of causing the rare, but potentially fatal, disease listeriosis. <i>L. monocytogenes<i> can replicate at temperatures as low as 0°C, allowing it to survive in industrial and domestic refrigerators. <i>L. monocytogenes<i> is often found in soft cheeses, making many varieties of cheese unavailable to those who are immunosuppressed. Man-Cheester aims to introduce the <i>agr<i> quorum sensing system from <i>L. monocytogenes<i> into bacteria used in the cheese making process. On detection of AIP, a key quorum sensing molecule of <i>L. monocytogenes<i>, a colour change will occur, causing the cheese to turn purple and alerting the consumer to its contamination. Our concept could be further developed to include other sources of <i>L. monocytogenes<i> contamination, such as meats, vegetables or kitchen surfaces, to prevent as many cases of listeriosis as possible.</p1>
Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, food-borne bacterium, capable of causing the rare, but potentially fatal, disease listeriosis. L. monocytogenes can replicate at temperatures as low as 0°C, allowing it to survive in industrial and domestic refrigerators. L. monocytogenes is often found in soft cheeses, making many varieties of cheese unavailable to those who are immunosuppressed. Man-Cheester aims to introduce the agr quorum sensing system from L. monocytogenes into bacteria used in the cheese making process. On detection of AIP, a key quorum sensing molecule of L. monocytogenes, a colour change will occur, causing the cheese to turn purple and alerting the consumer to its contamination. Our concept could be further developed to include other sources of L. monocytogenes contamination, such as meats, vegetables or kitchen surfaces, to prevent as many cases of listeriosis as possible.
