Clostridium perfringens extracellular toxins and enzymes: 20 and counting

Abstract

Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive, anaerobic bacterium that is widely distributed in the environment; it is found in soil and commonly inhabits the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals1,2. The ubiquitous nature of this bacterium has resulted in it becoming a major cause of histotoxic and enteric diseases3. The success of C. perfringens as both a pathogen and a commensal bacterium lies in its ability to produce a large number of potent toxins and extracellular enzymes4. This diverse toxin repertoire results in a broad range of diseases including gas gangrene, various enterotoxaemias, food poisoning and necrotic enteritis4–6. Since 2007, six new toxins have been identified, adding to the ever-increasing range of potential C. perfringens virulence determinants. This paper briefly reviews the plethora of toxins and extracellular enzymes produced by C. perfringens, highlighting their importance in disease and strain classification as well as introducing the latest additions to the ever increasing C. perfringens toxin family.

Recombinant Alpha, Beta, and Epsilon Toxins of Clostridium perfringens: Production Strategies and Applications as Veterinary Vaccines

“…This commensal bacterium is ubiquitous in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy humans and animals [1,2,3]. To date, it is known that C. perfringens produces up to 18 toxins: alpha (CPA), beta (CPB), epsilon (ETX), iota (CPI), enterotoxin (CPE), theta/perfringolysin O (PFO), beta-2 (CPB2), TpeL, NetB, NetF, BecA/B, NanI, NanJ, kappa, mu, lambda, α-clostripain, and delta toxin [4]. CPA, CPB, ETX, and CPI are used to group C. perfringens into five toxinotypes (A–E) according to the toxins that the bacterium produces [5].…”

Analysis of the virulence-associated RevSR two-component signal transduction system of Clostridium perfringens

“…perfringens is a Gram-positive, spore-forming anaerobe that is found ubiquitously in the environment and is part of the normal flora of the human and animal gastrointestinal tract (Uzal et al, 2014). However, it is also a pathogen and has the ability to cause a wide range of histotoxic and enterotoxaemic diseases, which is attributed to the production of at least 20 different potent toxins and extracellular enzymes (Revitt-Mills et al, 2015;Uzal et al, 2014). The production of some of these toxins is regulated by the VirSR two-component signal transduction system (Cheung et al, 2010;Lyristis et al, 1994;Ma et al, 2011;Shimizu et al, 1994;Shimizu et al, 2002).…”

Phylogenomic analysis ofClostridium perfringensidentifies isogenic strains in gastroenteritis outbreaks, and novel virulence-related features

“…Clostridium perfringens is an important pathogen known to cause disease in humans and animals (1, 2). Notably, the pathogenesis of C. perfringens -associated infections is largely attributed to the wide array of toxins this species can produce, with >20 toxins currently identified (3, 4). This Gram-positive spore former has been associated with foodborne and non-foodborne diarrhoeal diseases in humans, and preterm-necrotising enterocolitis (5, 6).…”