| Listeria monocytogenes(Lm) is a ubiquitous Gram-positive food-borne pathogen that causes listeriosis both in humans and several animal species. Invasive listeriosis is usually severe and clinically manifested as spontaneous abortion, septicaemia, and meningoencephalitis, and also as a febrile gastroenteritis syndrome. The pore-forming protein listeriolysin O (LLO, encoded by hly), is a critical virulence factor, belongs to cholesterol dependent cells dissolved element (cholesterol-dependent cytolysins, CDC) toxin, that mediates Lm through membrane perforation mechanism and escape from phagosome, and causes listeriosis. However, recent studies have shown that beside major membrane perforation there are also other functions play a key role in the course of the infection of Lm. At this point, the research progress of LLO in recent years in terms of its function and mechanism of action and other aspects were summarized, so that a better understand of the infection mechanism of Lm, in order to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of listeriosis. |
