Listeria monocytogenes Genome sequencing and assembly

Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic food-borne bacterium that is capable of infecting humans with high rates of hospitalization and mortality. Natural populations are genotypically and phenotypically variable, with some lineages being responsible for most human infections. The success of L. monocytogenes is due to its capacity to persist in food processing environments. Biofilms are an important feature that allow the bacteria to survive in the environment and infect humans, therefore, understanding the genetic basis of biofilm formation is key to understanding transmission.