Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Phetcharaburanin, Jutarop
• Hong, Huynh A.
• Colenutt, Claire
• Bianconi, Irene
• Sempere, Lluis
• Permpoonpattana, Patima
• Smith, Karen
• Dembek, Marcin
• Tan, Sisareuth
• Brisson, Marie‐Clémence
• Brisson, Alain R.
• Fairweather, Neil F.
• Cutting, Simon M.

Titel

The spore‐associated protein BclA 1 affects the susceptibility of animals to colonization and infection by C lostridium difficile

Ist Teil von

• Molecular microbiology, 2014-06, Vol.92 (5), p.1025-1038

Erscheinungsjahr

2014

Quelle

Wiley Online Library All Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Summary The BclA protein is a major component of the outermost layer of spores of a number of bacterial species and C lostridium difficile carries three bclA genes. Using insertional mutagenesis each gene was characterized and spores devoid of these proteins had surface aberrations, reduced hydrophobicity and germinated faster than wild‐type spores. Therefore the BclA proteins were likely major components of the spore surface and when absent impaired the protective shield effect of this outermost layer. Analysis of infection and colonization in mice and hamsters revealed that the 50% infectious dose ( ID 50 ) of spores was significantly higher (2‐logs) in the bclA1 − mutant compared to the isogenic wild‐type control, but that levels of toxins ( A and B ) were indistinguishable from animals dosed with wild‐type spores. bclA1 − spores germinated faster than wild‐type spores yet mice were less susceptible to infection suggesting that BclA 1 must play a key role in the initial (i.e. pre‐spore germination) stages of infection. We also show that the ID 50 was higher in mice infected with R 20291, a ‘hypervirulent’ 027 strain, that carries a truncated BclA 1 protein.