Identification of toxigenic Clostridium difficile strains by using a toxin A gene-specific probe.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
B W WrenS Tabaqchali

Abstract

A 4.5-kilobase PstI fragment encoding part of the toxin A gene was isolated and used as a DNA probe in colony hybridization studies with 58 toxigenic and 17 nontoxigenic Clostridium difficile strains. All 58 toxigenic strains showed positive hybridization, in contrast to the 17 nontoxigenic strains. Southern blot analysis with the toxin A gene probe showed hybridization to a single fragment of equal intensities for HindIII-digested genomic DNAs isolated from C. difficile strains of wide-ranging toxin production. The positive hybridization signals were due to fragments of heterogeneous lengths (9 to 13 kilobases) for toxigenic strains of different types but were absent for the nontoxigenic strains. These results suggest the presence of a single copy of the toxin A gene on the genome of C. difficile strains, and the wide variation of toxin expression is not a reflection of gene copy number. The lack of toxin activity for nontoxigenic strains can be explained by the absence of at least part of the toxin A gene. The toxin A gene probe was tested against clostridial strains from 18 other species, of which only toxigenic C. sordellii strains showed positive hybridization. The specificity of the toxin A gene probe for toxigenic strain...Continue Reading

References

May 20, 1978·Lancet·H E LarsonS P Borriello
Mar 18, 1978·British Medical Journal·R H GeorgeD W Burdon
Oct 1, 1975·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·M Grunstein, D S Hogness
Feb 1, 1990·Infection and Immunity·C H DoveJ L Johnson
Dec 1, 1987·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·B W Wren, S Tabaqchali
Jan 1, 1985·Ciba Foundation Symposium·T WilkinsD Lyerly
Dec 1, 1987·Journal of Clinical Pathology·B WrenS Tabaqchali
Jul 1, 1983·Analytical Biochemistry·A P Feinberg, B Vogelstein
Nov 1, 1984·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·M S StromF T Poysky
Sep 1, 1983·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·D G Anderson, L L McKay
Nov 14, 1984·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·B RihnH Monteil
Mar 1, 1982·Infection and Immunity·N M SullivanT D Wilkins

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jun 1, 1993·European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases : Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology·M J WolfhagenJ Verhoef
Jul 1, 1994·European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases : Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology·G A GreenH Monteil
Jan 11, 1991·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·N KatoK Ueno
Jul 1, 1994·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·M J WolfhagenJ Verhoef
Nov 18, 2003·Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases·F BarbutUNKNOWN ESCMID Study Group on Clostridium difficile (ESGCD)

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.