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Frontiers in Microbiology 2024Mucins are large glycoproteins whose degradation requires the expression of several glycosil hydrolases to catalyze the cleavage of the oligosaccharide chains and...
Mucins are large glycoproteins whose degradation requires the expression of several glycosil hydrolases to catalyze the cleavage of the oligosaccharide chains and release monosaccharides that can be assimilated. In this study, we present a characterization on the strains WC0700, WC0709, and WC0705. These three strains were previously isolated from enrichment cultures on mucin of fecal samples from healthy subjects and can use mucin as sole carbon and nitrogen source. Genome analysis and functional analysis of these strains elucidated their physiological and biochemical features. WC0700 harbored the highest number of glycosyl hydrolases specific for mucin degradation, while WC0705 had the least. These predicted differences were confirmed growing the strains on 5 mucin-decorating monosaccharides (L-fucose, N-Acetylneuraminic acid, galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, and N-acetylglucosamine) as only source of carbon. Fermenting mucin, they all produced formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, isovaleric, and lactic acids, and ethanol; acetic acid was the main primary metabolite. Further catabolic capabilities were investigated, as well as antibiotic susceptibility, biofilm formation, tolerance to oxygen and temperature. The potential pathogenicity of the strains was evaluated through research of virulence factors. The merge between comparative and functional genomics and biochemical/physiological characterization provided a comprehensive view of these mucin degraders, reassuring on the safety of these species and leaving ample scope for deeper investigations on the relationship with the host and for assessing if some relevant health-promoting effect could be ascribed to these SCFA producing species.
PubMed: 38511005
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1359726 -
Journal of Bacteriology Dec 1964Nishida, S. (Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan), K. Tamai, and T. Yamagishi. Taxonomy of Clostridium bifermentans and Clostridium sordellii. I. Their toxigenicity,...
Nishida, S. (Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan), K. Tamai, and T. Yamagishi. Taxonomy of Clostridium bifermentans and Clostridium sordellii. I. Their toxigenicity, urease activity, and sporulating potency. J. Bacteriol. 88:1641-1646. 1964.-Strains with properties similar to those of Clostridium bifermentans were usually obtained by selecting heat-resistant substrains of C. sordellii 1734. Heat-resistant substrains obtained from seven other strains were also found to be nontoxic. Some of these heat-resistant substrains produced urease, but others did not. Substrains of typical cultures of C. sordellii thus can yield either substrains resembling nonpathogenic strains of C. sordellii culturally, or substrains resembling C. bifermentans. The sporulating potency of pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains of C. sordellii and strains of C. bifermentans proved to be significantly distinct. The sporulating potency of C. bifermentans was high, that of pathogenic strains of C. sordellii was low, and that of nonpathogenic strains of C. sordellii was intermediate between the other two.
Topics: Antitoxins; Classification; Clostridium; Clostridium bifermentans; Clostridium sordellii; Hot Temperature; Japan; Metabolism; Research; Spores; Spores, Bacterial; Toxins, Biological; Urease
PubMed: 14240951
DOI: 10.1128/JB.88.6.1641-1646.1964 -
Open Forum Infectious Diseases Apr 2016Clostridium bifermentans is a rare pathogen in humans. A fatal case of fulminant endometritis with toxic shock and capillary leak secondary to C bifermentans infection...
Clostridium bifermentans is a rare pathogen in humans. A fatal case of fulminant endometritis with toxic shock and capillary leak secondary to C bifermentans infection in a young woman is described, and this is compared to all 13 previously described cases of C bifermentans infection.
PubMed: 27419167
DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofw095 -
Journal of Bacteriology Aug 1965Huang, C. T. (Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan), Kenzo Tamai, and Shoki Nishida. Taxonomy of Clostridium bifermentans and Clostridium sordellii, III. Agglutinability...
Huang, C. T. (Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan), Kenzo Tamai, and Shoki Nishida. Taxonomy of Clostridium bifermentans and Clostridium sordellii, III. Agglutinability of heat-resistant substrains of Clostridium sordellii. J. Bacteriol. 90:391-394. 1965.-By cross-agglutination tests with Clostridium bifermentans and C. sordellii antisera, the heat-resistant substrains from each pathogenic strain of C. sordellii were found to possess antigens of C. bifermentans in addition to displaying changes in biological activities. The agglutinability and biological activities varied with the sporulating potency acquired. Agglutinin-absorption tests further proved that heat-resistant substrains of C. sordellii were immunologically identical to C. bifermentans.
Topics: Agglutination; Agglutinins; Allergy and Immunology; Antigen-Antibody Reactions; Antigens; Classification; Clostridium; Clostridium bifermentans; Clostridium sordellii; Gelatin; Hot Temperature; Immune Sera; Indoles; Japan; Mannose; Metabolism; Research; Species Specificity; Spores; Spores, Bacterial; Urease
PubMed: 14330732
DOI: 10.1128/jb.90.2.391-394.1965 -
BMC Genomics Sep 2021Soil bacteria are a major source of specialized metabolites including antimicrobial compounds. Yet, one of the most diverse genera of bacteria ubiquitously present in...
BACKGROUND
Soil bacteria are a major source of specialized metabolites including antimicrobial compounds. Yet, one of the most diverse genera of bacteria ubiquitously present in soil, Clostridium, has been largely overlooked in bioactive compound discovery. As Clostridium spp. thrive in extreme environments with their metabolic mechanisms adapted to the harsh conditions, they are likely to synthesize molecules with unknown structures, properties, and functions. Therefore, their potential to synthesize small molecules with biological activities should be of great interest in the search for novel antimicrobial compounds. The current study focused on investigating the antimicrobial potential of four soil Clostridium isolates, FS01, FS2.2 FS03, and FS04, using a genome-led approach, validated by culture-based methods.
RESULTS
Conditioned/spent media from all four Clostridium isolates showed varying levels of antimicrobial activity against indicator microorganism; all four isolates significantly inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. FS01, FS2.2, and FS04 were active against Bacillus mycoides and FS03 reduced the growth of Bacillus cereus. Phylogenetic analysis together with DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH), average nucleotide identity (ANI), and functional genome distribution (FGD) analyses confirmed that FS01, FS2.2, and FS04 belong to the species Paraclostridium bifermentans, Clostridium cadaveris, and Clostridium senegalense respectively, while FS03 may represent a novel species of the genus Clostridium. Bioinformatics analysis using antiSMASH 5.0 predicted the presence of eight biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) encoding for the synthesis of ribosomally synthesized post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) and non-ribosomal peptides (NRPs) in four genomes. All predicted BGCs showed no similarity with any known BGCs suggesting novelty of the molecules from those predicted gene clusters. In addition, the analysis of genomes for putative virulence factors revealed the presence of four putative Clostridium toxin related genes in FS01 and FS2.2 genomes. No genes associated with the main Clostridium toxins were identified in the FS03 and FS04 genomes.
CONCLUSIONS
The presence of BGCs encoding for uncharacterized RiPPs and NRPSs in the genomes of antagonistic Clostridium spp. isolated from farm soil indicated their potential to produce novel secondary metabolites. This study serves as a basis for the identification and characterization of potent antimicrobials from these soil Clostridium spp. and expands the current knowledge base, encouraging future research into bioactive compound production in members of the genus Clostridium.
Topics: Anti-Infective Agents; Bacillus; Clostridium; Phylogeny; Soil
PubMed: 34548019
DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08005-2 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023(P.b) is an emerging human pathogen that is phylogenomically close to (P.s), while their populational genomic features and virulence capacity remain understudied....
(P.b) is an emerging human pathogen that is phylogenomically close to (P.s), while their populational genomic features and virulence capacity remain understudied. Here, we performed comparative genomic analyses of P.b and compared their pan-genomic features and virulence coding profiles to those of P.s. Our results revealed that P.b has a more plastic pangenome, a larger genome size, and a higher GC content than P.s. Interestingly, the P.b and P.s share similar core-genomic functions, but P.b encodes more functions in nutrient metabolism and energy conversion and fewer functions in host defense in their accessory-genomes. The P.b may initiate extracellular infection processes similar to those of P.s and by encoding three toxin homologs (i.e., microbial collagenase, thiol-activated cytolysin, phospholipase C, which are involved in extracellular matrices degradation and membrane damaging) in their core-genomes. However, P.b is less toxic than the P.s by encoding fewer secretion toxins in the core-genome and fewer lethal toxins in the accessory-genome. Notably, P.b carries more toxins genes in their accessory-genomes, particularly those of plasmid origin. Moreover, three within-species and highly conserved plasmid groups, encoding virulence, gene acquisition, and adaptation, were carried by 25-33% of P.b strains and clustered by isolation source rather than geography. This study characterized the pan-genomic virulence features of P.b for the first time, and revealed that is an emerging pathogen that can threaten human health in many aspects, emphasizing the importance of phenotypic and genomic characterizations of clinical isolates.
PubMed: 38029151
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1293206 -
Journal of Bacteriology Dec 1964Tamai, Kenzo (Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan), and Shoki Nishida. Taxonomy of Clostridium bifermentans and Clostridium sordellii. II. Toxigenic and sporulating...
Tamai, Kenzo (Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan), and Shoki Nishida. Taxonomy of Clostridium bifermentans and Clostridium sordellii. II. Toxigenic and sporulating potencies in substrains of a Clostridium sordellii strain. J. Bacteriol. 88:1647-1651. 1964.-The existence of six biological criteria for distinction of Clostridium bifermentans and C. sordellii was confirmed. The difference in the six criteria gradually disappeared as the sporulating potency of the substrains of C. sordellii 4708 was strengthened. The substrains which could resist heating at 90 C for 10, 20, or 30 min were found to have lost all six criteria for distinction and were biologically in agreement with C. bifermentans. We further demonstrated that all newly isolated strains of C. bifermentans examined possessed extremely strong sporulating potency.
Topics: Antitoxins; Classification; Clostridium; Clostridium bifermentans; Clostridium sordellii; Fermentation; Flavonoids; Gelatin; Glycosides; Hot Temperature; Indoles; Japan; Mannose; Metabolism; Peptide Hydrolases; Research; Sorbitol; Spores; Spores, Bacterial; Toxins, Biological; Urease
PubMed: 14240952
DOI: 10.1128/jb.88.6.1647-1651.1964 -
FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology Jul 2012Sessile growth of anaerobic bacteria from the human intestinal tract has been poorly investigated, so far. We recently reported data on the close association existing...
Sessile growth of anaerobic bacteria from the human intestinal tract has been poorly investigated, so far. We recently reported data on the close association existing between biliary stent clogging and polymicrobial biofilm development in its lumen. By exploiting the explanted stents as a rich source of anaerobic bacterial strains belonging to the genera Bacteroides, Clostridium, Fusobacterium, Finegoldia, Prevotella, and Veillonella, the present study focused on their ability to adhere, to grow in sessile mode and to form in vitro mono- or dual-species biofilms. Experiments on dual-species biofilm formation were planned on the basis of the anaerobic strains isolated from each clogged biliary stent, by selecting those in which a couple of anaerobic strains belonging to different species contributed to the polymicrobial biofilm development. Then, strains were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy to reveal if they are able to grow as mono- and/or dual-species biofilms. As far as we know, this is the first report on the ability to adhere and form mono/dual-species biofilms exhibited by strains belonging to the species Bacteroides oralis, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium baratii, Clostridium fallax, Clostridium bifermentans, Finegoldia magna, and Fusobacterium necrophorum.
Topics: Bacteria, Anaerobic; Bacterial Adhesion; Biliary Tract; Biofilms; Coinfection; Humans; Stents
PubMed: 22444687
DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.2012.00962.x -
Schweizer Archiv Fur Tierheilkunde Oct 2006In Switzerland, the incidence of equine botulism and acute pasture myodystrophy have remarkably increased in the last five years. Equine fodder-borne botulism in Europe... (Review)
Review
In Switzerland, the incidence of equine botulism and acute pasture myodystrophy have remarkably increased in the last five years. Equine fodder-borne botulism in Europe is most likely caused by Clostridium botulinum types C and D that produce the toxins BoNT/C and BoNT/D. Horses showing signs suggestive of botulism (muscle weakness and tremors, reduced tongue tone, slow chewing, salivation and difficulties swallowing, drooping eyelids, mydriasis), especially patients that have fed on suspect fodder (mostly haylage), must be treated with anti-serum as soon as possible. They also need intensive care, which is often difficult to provide and always expensive in the face of a guarded to poor prognosis. Therefore, prevention (high standards of forage quality and vaccination) is all the more important. Pasture myodystrophy is an acute disease with signs of rhabdomyolysis and lethality rate over 90%. It affects grazing horses under frosty, windy and rainy conditions. Preliminary results indicate that Clostridium sordellii and Clostridium bifermentans producing lethal toxin may play a role in pasture myodystrophy. Our efforts concentrate on developing a new subunit vaccine for equine botulism and understanding the ethiology and pathogenesis of pasture myodystrophy with the goal of improving prevention against these highly fatal diseases that present a significant risk to our horse population.
Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Bacterial Vaccines; Botulinum Toxins; Botulism; Clostridium botulinum; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Horse Diseases; Horses; Muscular Dystrophy, Animal; Soil Microbiology; Switzerland
PubMed: 17076463
DOI: 10.1024/0036-7281.148.10.553 -
Bioscience of Microbiota, Food and... 2019Six species and one group of cluster XI, and and the group, respectively, in human feces collected from 18 healthy adults were analyzed with real-time PCR. Although...
Six species and one group of cluster XI, and and the group, respectively, in human feces collected from 18 healthy adults were analyzed with real-time PCR. Although individual differences were recognized, the predominant colonization of and in the human large intestine was identified.
PubMed: 31106109
DOI: 10.12938/bmfh.18-023