Probing Genomic Aspects of the Multi-Host Pathogen <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> Reveals Significant Pangenome Diversity, and a Diverse Array of Virulence Factors.

ABSTRACT: Clostridium perfringens is an important cause of animal and human infections, however information about the genetic makeup of this pathogenic bacterium is currently limited. In this study, we sought to understand and characterise the genomic variation, pangenomic diversity, and key virulence traits of 56 C. perfringens strains which included 51 public, and 5 newly sequenced and annotated genomes using Whole Genome Sequencing. Our investigation revealed that C. perfringens has an "open" pangenome comprising 11667 genes and 12.6% of core genes, identified as the most divergent single-species Gram-positive bacterial pangenome currently reported. Our computational analyses also defined C. perfringens phylogeny (16S rRNA gene) in relation to some 25 Clostridium

SUBMITTER: Kiu R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5733095 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature