Comparative Genomics of Clostridium perfringens Reveals Patterns of Host-Associated Phylogenetic Clades and Virulence Factors
Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium that infects both animals and humans. Clostridium perfringens genomes encode a diverse array of toxins and virulence proteins, which continues to expand as more genomes are sequenced. In this study, the genomes of 44 C. perfringens str...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.649953/full |
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| author | Renae R. Geier Thomas G. Rehberger Alexandra H. Smith |
| author_facet | Renae R. Geier Thomas G. Rehberger Alexandra H. Smith |
| author_sort | Renae R. Geier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium that infects both animals and humans. Clostridium perfringens genomes encode a diverse array of toxins and virulence proteins, which continues to expand as more genomes are sequenced. In this study, the genomes of 44 C. perfringens strains isolated from intestinal sections of diseased cattle and from broiler chickens from diseased and healthy flocks were sequenced. These newly assembled genomes were compared to 141 publicly available C. perfringens genome assemblies, by aligning known toxin and virulence protein sequences in the assemblies using BLASTp. The genes for alpha toxin, collagenase, a sialidase (nanH), and alpha-clostripain were present in at least 99% of assemblies analyzed. In contrast, beta toxin, epsilon toxin, iota toxin, and binary enterotoxin of toxinotypes B, C, D, and E were present in less than 5% of assemblies analyzed. Additional sequence variants of beta2 toxin were detected, some of which were missing the leader or signal peptide sequences and therefore likely not secreted. Some pore-forming toxins involved in intestinal diseases were host-associated, the netB gene was only found in avian isolates, while netE, netF, and netG were only present in canine and equine isolates. Alveolysin was positively associated with canine and equine strains and only present in a single monophyletic clade. Strains from ruminant were not associated with known virulence factors and, except for the food poisoning associated clade, were present across the phylogenetic diversity identified to date for C. perfringens. Many C. perfringens strains associated with food poisoning lacked the genes for hyaluronidases and sialidases, important for attaching to and digesting complex carbohydrates found in animal tissues. Overall, the diversity of virulence factors in C. perfringens makes these species capable of causing disease in a wide variety of hosts and niches. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T13:13:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1fba25d703ff44a9b40bc1276acd052d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T13:13:40Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1fba25d703ff44a9b40bc1276acd052d2022-12-21T22:30:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2021-06-011210.3389/fmicb.2021.649953649953Comparative Genomics of Clostridium perfringens Reveals Patterns of Host-Associated Phylogenetic Clades and Virulence FactorsRenae R. GeierThomas G. RehbergerAlexandra H. SmithClostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium that infects both animals and humans. Clostridium perfringens genomes encode a diverse array of toxins and virulence proteins, which continues to expand as more genomes are sequenced. In this study, the genomes of 44 C. perfringens strains isolated from intestinal sections of diseased cattle and from broiler chickens from diseased and healthy flocks were sequenced. These newly assembled genomes were compared to 141 publicly available C. perfringens genome assemblies, by aligning known toxin and virulence protein sequences in the assemblies using BLASTp. The genes for alpha toxin, collagenase, a sialidase (nanH), and alpha-clostripain were present in at least 99% of assemblies analyzed. In contrast, beta toxin, epsilon toxin, iota toxin, and binary enterotoxin of toxinotypes B, C, D, and E were present in less than 5% of assemblies analyzed. Additional sequence variants of beta2 toxin were detected, some of which were missing the leader or signal peptide sequences and therefore likely not secreted. Some pore-forming toxins involved in intestinal diseases were host-associated, the netB gene was only found in avian isolates, while netE, netF, and netG were only present in canine and equine isolates. Alveolysin was positively associated with canine and equine strains and only present in a single monophyletic clade. Strains from ruminant were not associated with known virulence factors and, except for the food poisoning associated clade, were present across the phylogenetic diversity identified to date for C. perfringens. Many C. perfringens strains associated with food poisoning lacked the genes for hyaluronidases and sialidases, important for attaching to and digesting complex carbohydrates found in animal tissues. Overall, the diversity of virulence factors in C. perfringens makes these species capable of causing disease in a wide variety of hosts and niches.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.649953/fullClostridium perfringensnecrotic enteritishemorrhagic bowel syndromeavianruminant |
| spellingShingle | Renae R. Geier Thomas G. Rehberger Alexandra H. Smith Comparative Genomics of Clostridium perfringens Reveals Patterns of Host-Associated Phylogenetic Clades and Virulence Factors Frontiers in Microbiology Clostridium perfringens necrotic enteritis hemorrhagic bowel syndrome avian ruminant |
| title | Comparative Genomics of Clostridium perfringens Reveals Patterns of Host-Associated Phylogenetic Clades and Virulence Factors |
| title_full | Comparative Genomics of Clostridium perfringens Reveals Patterns of Host-Associated Phylogenetic Clades and Virulence Factors |
| title_fullStr | Comparative Genomics of Clostridium perfringens Reveals Patterns of Host-Associated Phylogenetic Clades and Virulence Factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparative Genomics of Clostridium perfringens Reveals Patterns of Host-Associated Phylogenetic Clades and Virulence Factors |
| title_short | Comparative Genomics of Clostridium perfringens Reveals Patterns of Host-Associated Phylogenetic Clades and Virulence Factors |
| title_sort | comparative genomics of clostridium perfringens reveals patterns of host associated phylogenetic clades and virulence factors |
| topic | Clostridium perfringens necrotic enteritis hemorrhagic bowel syndrome avian ruminant |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.649953/full |
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