Three metabolic pathways replenishing the one-carbon pool collectively support growth and virulence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Three interconnected metabolic pathways collectively supply one-carbon units, essential for growth and virulence in Listeria monocytogenes, with a key role for the 1C-THF pool.

• Why it matters: Understanding how L. monocytogenes sustains intracellular growth and pathogenicity is crucial for developing targeted interventions, especially since these pathways are vital for nutrient biosynthesis and virulence.
• What they did: Researchers investigated the roles of the glycine cleavage system, Fhs, and GlyA pathways by creating mutants and suppressors, revealing how these pathways replenish the 1C-THF pool in the bacterium.
• The result: The study demonstrates that all three pathways support bacterial growth and virulence, highlighting a novel spontaneous gene reactivation mechanism and providing insights into metabolic resilience in L. monocytogenes.