Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen with a high mortality rate that has also emerged as a paradigm for intracellular parasitism. We present and compare the genome sequences of L. monocytogenes (2,944,528 base pairs) and a nonpathogenic species, L. innocua (3,011,209 base pairs). We found a large number of predicted genes encoding surface and secreted proteins, transporters, and transcriptional regulators, consistent with the ability of both species to adapt to diverse environments. The presence of 270 L. monocytogenes and 149 L. innocua strain-specific genes (clustered in 100 and 63 islets, respectively) suggests that virulence in Listeria results from multiple gene acquisition and deletion events.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/294/5543/849.full.pdf

Comparative Genomics of Listeria Species

The neurobiology and control of anxious states

The role of adenosine and its nucleotides in central synaptic transmission.

Adenosine receptors in the central nervous system: relationship to the central actions of methylxanthines

Animal models for the study of anti-anxiety agents: a review.

Drugs that reduce anxiety may be mediated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate in the brain because (i) potent anxiety-reducing drugs are also potent inhibitors of brain phosphodiesterase activity; (ii) dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate has the ability to reduce anxiety; (iii) the methylxanthines show significant anxiety-reducing effects; (iv) theophylline and chlordiazepoxide produce additive anxiety-reducing activity; and (v) there is a significant correlation between the anxiety-reducing property of drugs and their ability to inhibit phosphodiesterase activity in the brain.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/176/4033/428.full.pdf

Mark Chasin

Papers

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase in brain: effect on anxiety.

Cyclic AMP and Anxiety