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Infect. Immun., 04 1997, 1402-1407, Vol 65, No. 4
S Perelle, M Gibert, P Bourlioux, G Corthier and MR Popoff
A Clostridium difficile isolate was found to produce an actin-specific
ADP-ribosyltransferase (CDT) homologous to the enzymatic components of
Clostridium perfringens iota toxin and Clostridium spiroforme toxin (M. R.
Popoff, E. J. Rubin, D. M. Gill, and P. Boquet, Infect. Immun.
56:2299-2306, 1988). The CDT locus from C. difficile CD196 was cloned and
sequenced. It contained two genes (cdtA and cdtB) which display
organizations and sequences similar to those of the iota toxin gene. The
deduced enzymatic (CDTa) and binding (CDTb) components have 81 and 84%
identity, respectively, with the corresponding components of iota toxin.
CDTa and CDTb induced actin cytoskeleton alterations similar to those
caused by other clostridial binary toxins. The lower level of production of
binary toxin by CD196 than of iota toxin by C. perfringens was related to a
lower transcript level, possibly due to a promoter region different from
that of iota toxin genes. The cdtA and cdtB genes have been detected in 3
of 24 clinical isolates examined, and cdtB alone was found in 2 additional
strains. One strain (in addition to CD196) was shown by Western blotting to
produce CDTa and CDTb. These results indicate that some C. difficile
strains synthesize a binary toxin that could be an additional virulence
factor.
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology
Production of a complete binary toxin (actin-specific ADP- ribosyltransferase) by Clostridium difficile CD196
Unite des Toxines Microbiennes, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
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