Abstract
Clostridium perfringens is a gastrointestinal pathogen capable of causing disease in a variety of hosts. Necrotic enteritis in chickens is caused by C. perfringens strains that produce the pore-forming toxin NetB, the major virulence factor for this disease. Like many other C. perfringens toxins and antibiotic resistance genes, NetB is encoded on a conjugative plasmid. Conjugative transfer of the netB-containing plasmid pJIR3535 has been demonstrated in vitro with a netB-null mutant. This study has investigated the effect of plasmid transfer on disease pathogenesis, with two genetically distinct transconjugants constructed under in vitro conditions, within the intestinal tract of chickens. This study also demonstrates that plasmid transfer can occur naturally in the host gut environment without the need for antibiotic selective pressure to be applied. The demonstration of plasmid transfer within the chicken host may have implications for the progression and pathogenesis of C. perfringensmediated disease. Such horizontal gene transfer events are likely to be common in the clostridia and may be a key factor in strain evolution, both within animals and in the wider environment.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e01814-17 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Applied and Environmental Microbiology |
| Volume | 83 |
| Issue number | 24 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2017 |
Keywords
- Clostridium perfringens
- Conjugation
- In vivo plasmid transfer
- Necrotic enteritis
- Pathogenicity
- Virulence
Cite this
}
Conjugation-mediated horizontal gene transfer of Clostridium perfringens plasmids in the chicken gastrointestinal tract results in the formation of new virulent strains. / Lacey, Jake A.; Keyburn, Anthony L.; Ford, Mark E.; Portela, Ricardo W.; Johanesen, Priscilla A.; Lyras, Dena; Moore, Robert J.
In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 83, No. 24, e01814-17, 01.12.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Conjugation-mediated horizontal gene transfer of Clostridium perfringens plasmids in the chicken gastrointestinal tract results in the formation of new virulent strains
AU - Lacey, Jake A.
AU - Keyburn, Anthony L.
AU - Ford, Mark E.
AU - Portela, Ricardo W.
AU - Johanesen, Priscilla A.
AU - Lyras, Dena
AU - Moore, Robert J.
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - Clostridium perfringens is a gastrointestinal pathogen capable of causing disease in a variety of hosts. Necrotic enteritis in chickens is caused by C. perfringens strains that produce the pore-forming toxin NetB, the major virulence factor for this disease. Like many other C. perfringens toxins and antibiotic resistance genes, NetB is encoded on a conjugative plasmid. Conjugative transfer of the netB-containing plasmid pJIR3535 has been demonstrated in vitro with a netB-null mutant. This study has investigated the effect of plasmid transfer on disease pathogenesis, with two genetically distinct transconjugants constructed under in vitro conditions, within the intestinal tract of chickens. This study also demonstrates that plasmid transfer can occur naturally in the host gut environment without the need for antibiotic selective pressure to be applied. The demonstration of plasmid transfer within the chicken host may have implications for the progression and pathogenesis of C. perfringensmediated disease. Such horizontal gene transfer events are likely to be common in the clostridia and may be a key factor in strain evolution, both within animals and in the wider environment.
AB - Clostridium perfringens is a gastrointestinal pathogen capable of causing disease in a variety of hosts. Necrotic enteritis in chickens is caused by C. perfringens strains that produce the pore-forming toxin NetB, the major virulence factor for this disease. Like many other C. perfringens toxins and antibiotic resistance genes, NetB is encoded on a conjugative plasmid. Conjugative transfer of the netB-containing plasmid pJIR3535 has been demonstrated in vitro with a netB-null mutant. This study has investigated the effect of plasmid transfer on disease pathogenesis, with two genetically distinct transconjugants constructed under in vitro conditions, within the intestinal tract of chickens. This study also demonstrates that plasmid transfer can occur naturally in the host gut environment without the need for antibiotic selective pressure to be applied. The demonstration of plasmid transfer within the chicken host may have implications for the progression and pathogenesis of C. perfringensmediated disease. Such horizontal gene transfer events are likely to be common in the clostridia and may be a key factor in strain evolution, both within animals and in the wider environment.
KW - Clostridium perfringens
KW - Conjugation
KW - In vivo plasmid transfer
KW - Necrotic enteritis
KW - Pathogenicity
KW - Virulence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85036473069&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1128/AEM.01814-17
DO - 10.1128/AEM.01814-17
M3 - Article
VL - 83
JO - Applied and Environmental Microbiology
JF - Applied and Environmental Microbiology
SN - 0099-2240
IS - 24
M1 - e01814-17
ER -