DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF PHYLOGENETIC SYSTEMS TO ENHANCE FOOD SAFETY AND FOOD SECURITY

The overall objective for this project is to produce an evolutionary framework for understanding the ecology, virulence and epidemiology of Listeria, Clostridium, and Enterococcus that will contribute to the development and implementation of effective control strategies for these species. The specific objectives are: 1) Characterize lineage evolution, population structure and demographic history of species within the genera Listeria, Clostridium, and Enterococcus; 2) Determine patterns of selective constraint throughout the genomes of species within the genera Listeria, Clostridium, and Enterococcus; and 3) Develop molecular subtyping methods for L. monocytogenes and C. perfringens.