Comparative genome and phenotypic analysis of Clostridium difficile 027 strains provides insight into the evolution of a hypervirulent bacterium.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The continued rise of Clostridium difficile infections worldwide has been accompanied by the rapid emergence of a highly virulent clone designated PCR-ribotype 027. To understand more about the evolution of this virulent clone, we made a three-way genomic and phenotypic comparison of an 'historic' non-epidemic 027 C. difficile (CD196), a recent epidemic and hypervirulent 027 (R20291) and a previously sequenced PCR-ribotype 012 strain (630).

Results

Although the genomes are highly conserved, the 027 genomes have 234 additional genes compared to 630, which may contribute to the distinct phenotypic differences we observe between these strains relating to motility, antibiotic resistance and toxicity. The epidemic 027 strain has five unique genetic regions, absent from

SUBMITTER: Stabler RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2768977 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature