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Clostridium perfringens type E virulence traits involved in gut colonization
Leandro M Redondo1, Juan M Díaz Carrasco1, Enzo A Redondo1
1Instituto de Patobiología, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Plos One
|March 24, 2015
Summary
Clostridium perfringens type E utilizes iota toxin to enhance its gut colonization in ruminants. This toxin aids type E adherence while inhibiting other C. perfringens strains, improving its competitive fitness.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Microbiology
- Ruminant Pathology
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
Background:
- Clostridium perfringens type E causes hemorrhagic enteritis and sudden death in ruminants.
- The pathogenesis of C. perfringens type E and the role of iota toxin are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of iota toxin as a virulence factor in C. perfringens type E infections.
- To understand the competitive advantages of C. perfringens type E in the bovine gut environment.
Main Methods:
- In vitro and in vivo models were used to assess C. perfringens type E adherence and colonization.
- The effect of iota toxin on epithelial cell surfaces was examined.
- The impact of type E metabolites on the growth of competing C. perfringens strains was evaluated.
Main Results:
- Iota toxin positively influenced the adherence and colonization of C. perfringens type E.
- Iota toxin negatively affected the adherence of C. perfringens type A cells.
- Type E strains produced metabolites that inhibited the growth of other C. perfringens strains.
Conclusions:
- Iota toxin alters enterocyte morphology, enhancing type E cell adhesion and conferring a competitive advantage.
- These findings suggest iota toxin and intra-specific growth inhibition are key fitness traits for C. perfringens type E in ruminants.
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