Understanding and exploiting bacteriophage-host interactions for the control and detection of listeria monocytogenes

Phage vB_LmoH_P61, a lytic phage isolated from grass silage, was applied to food matrices for the biocontrol of L. monocytogenes which resulted in the inhibition of L. monocytogenes in artificially inoculated pasteurized milk and baby spinach.

The key findings from this study show the importance of the food matrix, multiplicity of infection, the growth stage of the host bacterial cells and storage temperature for the successful application of phages as biocontrol agents. Chapter 3 of this thesis also aimed to exploit phages (phage lysins) as biocontrol agents. The key findings showed that polyhydroxyalkanoate bionanoparticles displaying the full-length endolysin of phage vB_LmoS_293 or the amidase domain of this lysin, lysed and inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes strain 473 at 37 ºC and 22 ºC. Phages were also exploited for the capture and potential detection of L. monocytogenes (Chapter 4).