Loss of catalase activity in Tn1545-induced mutants does not reduce growth of Listeria monocytogenes in vivo.

Two catalase-negative mutants of Listeria monocytogenes were obtained by chromosomal insertions of the conjugative transposon Tn1545. The loss of catalase activity did not reduce the level of virulence of these mutants in mice. Indeed, both mutants were capable of growing in host tissues at the same rate as the parental catalase-positive strain. These results favor the view that catalase does not play a critical role in the resistance of L. monocytogenes to macrophage killing.