Plasmid localization of a type E botulinal neurotoxin gene homologue in toxigenic Clostridium butyricum strains, and absence of this gene in non-toxigenic C. butyricum strains |
| |
Authors: | D. Hauser M. Gibert P. Boquet M.R. Popoff |
| |
Affiliation: | Unité des Toxines Microbiennes, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France. |
| |
Abstract: | It has been shown recently that two Clostridium butyricum strains (ATCC 43181 and ATCC 43755) contain a botulinal neurotoxin type E (BoNT/E) gene closely related to that of C. botulinum type E. In this study, we show that this gene is located on a large plasmid in the two toxigenic C. butyricum strains and is absent in 18 non-toxigenic C. butyricum and C. beijerinckii strains. Interestingly, the 230 bp upstream and the 1260 bp downstream of the neurotoxin coding sequence are not present in either the non-toxigenic C. butyricum or C. beijerinckii strains. Our data suggest a BoNT/E gene transfer from C. botulinum E to originally non-toxigenic C. butyricum strains. |
| |
Keywords: | Clostridium botulinum Clostridium tetani Clostridium butyricum Clostridium beijerinsii Botulinal neurotoxin gene |
|