Quorum sensing in Listeria monocytogenes and control strategies for its inhibition in the food industry.

Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen that can persist in food-processing environments and threatens public health by causing fatal listeriosis. During transmission from the non-host to the host environment, L. monocytogenes encounters a variety of stresses and regulates gene expression by coordinately relying on quorum sensing (QS). With many recent studies on QS inhibitors (QSIs) targeting L. monocytogenes, an in-depth understanding of the QS regulatory mechanisms and the updated application status of QSIs for combating L. monocytogenes is necessary. This review systematically discusses the accessory gene regulator (Agr) system and LuxS system in L. monocytogenes, with a special focus on their regulatory mechanisms associated with biofilm formation, virulence expression, and antimicrobial resistance. Notably, the regulation of Agr system can be modulated by environmental stresses including temperature, nutrient availability and disinfectant exposure. Furthermore, natural (plant-derived compounds and bacterial metabolites) and synthetic QSIs of L. monocytogenes are summarized, and their potential as alternative biocontrol agents is comprehensively evaluated. Finally, the challenges limiting the application of QSIs in the food industry are discussed, along with the outlines of potential avenues for future aspects such as incorporation or coating nanomaterials with QSIs. This review provides an overview of QS regulatory mechanisms in L. monocytogenes and perspectives on the potential of QSIs as novel antimicrobial agents in the food industry.