Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes)

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium measuring 0.5–2 μm in length and 0.5–4 μm in diameter. It is a foodborne pathogenic bacterium responsible for listeriosis, which can cause meningitis, sepsis, and other severe infections. The bacterium is notable for its ability to survive and multiply at refrigeration temperatures (as low as 0°C), making it a significant concern in food safety. While the bacterium itself is not a therapeutic target molecule or receptor, specific bacterial proteins within it have been identified as potential drug and vaccine targets. Researchers have identified 15 essential pathogen-host non-homologous proteins as putative drug targets, including UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 1-carboxyvinyltransferase, Acetate kinase, Phosphate acetyltransferase, and Aspartate kinase. Current treatment for listeriosis involves β-lactam antibiotics (penicillin G or ampicillin), often combined with gentamicin, though alternative treatments include trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, erythromycin, and vancomycin. This entry is considered inappropriate for a therapeutic target database as it describes a pathogen rather than a molecular target.

Drugs listed target essential bacterial processes (e.g., cell wall synthesis, protein synthesis) within Listeria monocytogenes to inhibit its growth or kill the organism. However, L. monocytogenes itself is not considered a single molecular therapeutic target; rather, its internal components are the actual drug targets.