Evolution of Listeria monocytogenes in a Food Processing Plant Involves Limited Single-Nucleotide Substitutions but Considerable Diversification by Gain and Loss of Prophages
Anna Sophia Harrand, Balamurugan Jagadeesan, Leen Baert, Martin Wiedmann, Renato H. Orsi
Abstract
Knowledge about the genetic evolution of L. monocytogenes in food processing facilities over multiple years is generally lacking. This information is critical to interpret WGS findings involving food or food-associated isolates. This study suggests that L. monocytogenes that persists in processing facilities may evolve with a low single-nucleotide mutation rate mostly driven by negative (i.e., purifying) selection but with rapid diversification of prophages. Hence, isolation of L. monocytogenes with few single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) differences in different locations (e.g., supplier plants and receiving plants) is possible, highlighting the importance of epidemiological and detailed isolate metadata for interpreting WGS data in traceback investigation. Our study also shows how advanced WGS data analyses can be used to support root cause analysis efforts and may, for example, pinpoint the time when a persistence event started (which then potentially could be linked to facility changes, introduction of new equipment, etc.).