The soilborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes frequently contaminates food products and food processing environments and is able to survive desiccation, high osmotic pressures, and starvation. However, little is known about how this pathogen survives starvation at 4°C. This study provides evidence that L. monocytogenes is able to survive total nutrient starvation for 4 weeks. L. monocytogenes strains EGD-e, Scott A, F2365, and HCC23 were starved individually in sterile water. Colony counts declined over 4 weeks, with Scott A declining the most rapidly. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed degradation of starving cell membranes and altered cytosols. Starving cells were subjected to the metabolic inhibitors fluoride, arsenite, 2,4-dinitrophenol, iodoacetate, and cyanide individually. Iodoacetate, which inhibits glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, completely reduced cultivable counts below the level of detection compared with the control starving cells; 2,4-dinitrophenol, which dissipates proton motive force, almost completely reduced cultivable counts. These results suggest that L. monocytogenes strains EGD-e, Scott A, F2365, and HCC23 are actively using part of the glycolysis pathway while starving. These results suggest that starving L. monocytogenes cells retain aspects of active metabolism.
Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes; Metabolic inhibitors; Nutrient deprivation; Starvation; Transmission electron microscopy.