Surface-layer protein A (SlpA) is a major contributor to host-cell adherence of Clostridium difficile.

ABSTRACT: Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and a significant etiologic agent of healthcare-associated infections. The mechanisms of attachment and host colonization of C. difficile are not well defined. We hypothesize that non-toxin bacterial factors, especially those facilitating the interaction of C. difficile with the host gut, contribute to the initiation of C. difficile infection. In this work, we optimized a completely anaerobic, quantitative, epithelial-cell adherence assay for vegetative C. difficile cells, determined adherence proficiency under multiple conditions, and investigated C. difficile surface protein variation via immunological and DNA sequencing approaches focused on Surface-Layer Protein A (SlpA). In total, thirty-six epidemic-associate

SUBMITTER: Merrigan MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3827033 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature