Campus Units

Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine

Document Type

Article

Publication Version

Published Version

Publication Date

11-1980

Journal or Book Title

Journal of Bacteriology

Volume

144

Issue

2

First Page

752

Last Page

575

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes cells suspended in brain heart infusion broth or in carbonated saline solution emitted light (chemiluminescence) that could be detected by a liquid scintillation spectrometer. This chemiluminescence was inhibited by superoxide dismutase and catalase but not by the hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol and benzoate; it was also dependent upon and proportional to the carbonate ion concentration in the medium. Organisms suspended in carbonated saline solution which had ceased to chemiluminesce immediately began to chemiluminesce again when acetaldehyde was added but not when glucose, sucrose, or xanthine was added. Acetaldehyde-induced chemiluminescence was inhibited by suproxide dismutase and catalase but not by allopurinol. Our data indicate that the superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and the carbonate ion are involved in chemiluminescence by L. monocytogenes. Chemiluminescence is apparently initiated by the extracellular generation of superoxide anon by this organism. The mechanism for the production of the superoxide anion is not known, but xanthine oxidase does not appear to be involved.

Comments

This article is published as Roth, J.A., and M.L. Kaeberle. 1980. Chemiluminescence by Listeria monocytogenes. J Bacteriol, 144:752-757. Posted with permission.

Copyright Owner

American Society for Microbiology

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Download

Share

COinS