The Physiological Function of Nitrate Reduction in Clostridium perfringens

Analysis of genes involved in nitrate reduction in Clostridium perfringens.

We have conducted the genetic analysis of fermentative nitrate reduction in Clostridium perfringens, a strict anaerobic bacterium. Nitrate reductase (NarA) was purified from the cytoplasmic fraction of the organism. Using a degenerate primer designed from its N-terminal amino acid sequence, a 9.5 kb fragment containing seven ORFs was cloned. The molecular mass and N-terminal amino acid sequence...

Preparation of Standard Clostridium perfringens Antitoxin in the Sheep

Reduction of bilirubin ditaurate by the intestinal bacterium Clostridium perfringens.

Bilirubin is degraded in the human gut by microflora into urobilinoids. In our study we investigated whether the bilirubin-reducing strain of Clostridium perfringens can reduce bilirubin ditaurate (BDT), a bile pigment of some lower vertebrates, without hydrolysis of the taurine moiety. C. perfringes was incubated under anaerobic conditions with BDT; reduction products were quantified by spectr...

Clostridium perfringens Iota-Toxin: Structure and Function

Clostridium perfringens iota-toxin is composed of the enzyme component (Ia) and the binding component (Ib). Ib binds to receptor on targeted cells and translocates Ia into the cytosol of the cells. Ia ADP-ribosylates actin, resulting in cell rounding and death. Comparisons of the deduced amino acid sequence from the gene and three-dimensional structure of Ia with those of ADP-ribosylating toxin...

Cloning of Clostridium perfringens iota toxin gene in Escherichia coli

Iota toxin is produced by Clostridium perfringens type E. This toxin causes antibiotic-associated enterotoxemia in lambs and calves. Iota toxin is a binary toxin that has two components including Ia (the enzyme component) and Ib (the binding component). Ib binds to the surface receptor of target cells and translocate Ia into the cytosol of cells. The aim of this study was to clone toxigenic epi...