E-mail: c.gahan@ucc.ie
Tel +353-21-4901363
Fax +353-21-4903101

Current Projects

Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre: SFI-CSET Centre to study microbe-host and microbe-microbe interactions within the gastrointestinal tract (see http://apc.ucc.ie ). Currently analysing gene expression by Listeria monocytogenes in response to conditions encountered within the GI tract.

Detergent resistance in Listeria monocytogenes: A Food Safety Promotions Board project to study the molecular basis of microbial resistance to detergents

Acid resistance in Listeria monocytogenes: A Food Safety Promotions Board project to study the molecular basis of acid resistance in Listeria monocytogenes

In vivo expression technology (IVET): The use of IVET strategies to determine in vivo gene expression in Listeria monocytogenes. Click on the link below for an overview of the IVET system used:

Publications

Begley M, RD Sleator, CGM Gahan* and C Hill. 2005. The contribution of three bile-associated loci (bsh, pva and btlB) to gastrointestinal persistence and bile tolerance of Listeria monocytogenes. Infection and Immunity. 73, 894-904

Begley M, CGM Gahan* and C Hill. 2005. The interaction between bacteria and bile. In press, FEMS Microbiology Reviews. (Epub available online)

Sleator RD, HH Wemekamp-Kamphuis, JA Wouters, CGM Gahan, T Abee and C Hill. 2005. A prfA-regulated bile exclusion system (bilE) is a novel virulence factor in Listeria monocytogenes. Molecular Microbiology. 55: 1183- 1195

Gahan, CGM* and C Hill. 2005. Review: The gastrointestinal phase of Listeria monocytogenes infection. In press, Journal of Applied Microbiology.

Rea RB, CGM Gahan* and C Hill. 2004. Disruption of putative regulatory loci in Listeria monocytogenes demonstrates a significant role for Fur and PerR in virulence. Infection and Immunity. 72:717-27

Begley M, CGM Gahan, C Hill, M Hintz, A-K Kollas, H Jomaa and M Eberl. 2004. The γδ T cell bioactivity of Listeria monocytogenes is controlled by the balance between the classical mevalonate and the alternative non-mevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis. FEBS Letters. 561:99-104

Karatzas KA, JA Wouters, CGM Gahan, C Hill, T Abee and MH Bennik. 2003. The CtsR regulator of Listeria monocytogenes contains a variant glycine repeat region that affects piezotolerance, stress resistance, motility, and virulence. Molecular Microbiology, 49:1227-38

Sleator RD, Gahan CGM and C Hill. 2003. A post-genomic appraisal of osmotolerance in Listeria monocytogenes. MiniReview. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 69(1):1-9

Gahan CGM and C Hill. 2003. Relationship between stress adaptation and virulence in foodborne pathogenic bacteria. In Microbial Stress Adaptation and Food Safety. Ed. A E Yousef and V K Juneja, CRC Publishing Co., Inc.

Sleator RD, Francis GA, O'Beirne DD, Gahan CGM* and C Hill. 2003. Analysis of the contribution of betaine and carnitine uptake systems to the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes in foods and during infection. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 95:839-46

Begley M, Gahan CGM* and C Hill. 2002. Bile stress response in Listeria monocytogenes LO28: adaptation, cross-protection and identification of genetic loci involved in bile resistance. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 68:6005-6012

Begley M, C Hill and Gahan CGM. 2002. Identification and disruption of btlA, a locus involved in bile tolerance and general stress resistance in Listeria monocytogenes. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 218:31-38

Wemekamp-Kamphuis HH, JA Wouters, RD Sleator, CGM Gahan, C Hill and T Abee. Multiple deletion of osmolyte transporters BetL, Gbu and OpuC of Listeria monocytogenes affects virulence and growth at high osmolarity. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 68(10):4710-6

Hill C, PD Cotter, RD Sleator, CGM Gahan. 2002. Bacterial stress response in Listeria monocytogenes: jumping the hurdles imposed by minimal processing. International Dairy Journal. 12:273-283

Gahan CGM*, J O'Mahony and C Hill. 2001. Characterisation of the groESL operon in Listeria monocytogenes: utilisation of two reporter systems (gfp and hly) for evaluating in vivo expression. Infection and Immunity. 69: 3924-3932

Cotter PD, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 2001. A glutamate decarboxylase system protects Listeria monocytogenes in gastric fluid. Molecular Microbiology. 40: 465-475

Sleator RD, J Wouters, CGM Gahan, T Abee and C Hill. 2001. Role of OpuC, an osmolyte transport system in the salt tolerance and virulence potential of Listeria monocytogenes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 67: 2692-2698

Sleator RD, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 2001. Mutations in the listerial proB gene leading to proline overproduction: effects on salt tolerance and murine infection. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 67:4560-4565

Sleator RD, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 2001. Identification and disruption of the proBA locus in Listeria monocytogenes: role of proline biosynthesis in salt tolerance and murine infection. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 67: 2571-2577

Gahan CGM and C Hill. 2000. The use of listeriolysin to identify in vivo induced genes in the Gram-positive intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Molecular Microbiology. 36: 498-507

Sleator RD, B O'Driscoll, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 2000. Analysis of the role of BetL in the survival of Listeria monocytogenes. Int. Journal of Food Microbiology. 60: 261-268

Cotter, PD, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 2000. Analysis of the role of the Listeria monocytogenes F0F1-ATPase operon in the acid tolerance response. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 60: 137-146

Hill C and CGM Gahan. 2000. Listeria monocytogenes: role of stress in virulence and survival in food. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research. 39: 195-201

Cotter PD, N Emerson, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 1999. Identification and disruption of lisRK a genetic locus encoding a two component signal transduction system involved in stress tolerance and virulence in Listeria monocytogenes. Journal of Bacteriology. 181: 6840-6843

Gahan CGM and C Hill. 1999. The relationship between acid stress responses and virulence in Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 50: 93-100

Sleater RD, CGM Gahan, T Abee and C Hill. 1999. Identification and disruption of BetL, a secondary glycine betaine transport system linked to the salt tolerance of Listeria monocytogenes LO28. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 65: 2078-2083

van Schaik W, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 1999. Acid-adapted Listeria monocytogenes displays enhanced tolerance against the lantibiotics nisin and lacticin 3147. Journal of Food Protection. 62: 536-539

Gahan CGM, JR Barrett, MG O'Brien, GC O'Sullivan, F Shanahan and JK Collins. 1997. Innate immunity to Listeria monocytogenes in tumor bearing mice. Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 62: 726-732

O'Driscoll B, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 1997. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the acid tolerance response in Listeria monocytogenes LO28. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 63: 2679-2685

Marron L, N Emerson, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 1997. A mutant of Listeria monocytogenes LO28 unable to induce an acid tolerance response displays diminished virulence in a murine model. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 63: 4945-4947

Gahan CGM, B O'Driscoll and C Hill. 1996. Acid adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes can enhance survival in acidic foods and during milk fermentation. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 62:3128-3132

O' Driscoll B, CGM Gahan and C Hill. 1996. Adaptive acid tolerance response in Listeria monocytogenes : isolation of an acid tolerant mutant which displays increased virulence. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 62:1693-1698

Gahan CGM and JK Collins. 1995. Non-dystrophic 129 REJ mice are susceptible to i.p. infection with Listeria monocytogenes despite an ability to recruit inflammatory neutrophils to the peritoneal cavity. Microbial Pathogenesis. 18:355-364

Gahan CGM and JK Collins. 1995. Vaccination of mice with attenuated mutants of Listeria monocytogenes : requirement for induction of macrophage Ia expression. Microbial Pathogenesis. 18:417-422

Gahan CGM and JK Collins. 1991. Listeriosis: Biology and implications for the food industry. Trends in Food Science and Technology. 2:89-93