Comprehensive analysis of pathogenesis targeted sporulation of C. perfringens

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590520
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Bacteriology (including Mycology)
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: OHTANI Kaori 金沢大学, 医学系, 講師 (30377410)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 芽胞 / 毒素産生 / 遺伝子発現調節機構

Outline of Final Research Achievements

C. perfringens causes clostridial myonecrosis (gas gangrene) and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in humans. C. perfringens spores are considered as the infectious morphotypes for both diseases. Despite the importance of spore formation in C. perfringens pathogenesis, the detailed mechanism and regulation of sporulation has not yet been defined. Here KZ119 was selected to analyze both of regulatory mechanism of toxin genes and sporulation. Cytotoxicity analysis showed that KZ119 has stronger cytotoxicity than strain 13. And also cytotoxicity assay using mutant strains showed there might be unknown virulence factor in KZ119. So the virulence factor might have important its pathogenesis. From the analysis of virX mutant of KZ119, it was identified that virX is negative regulator for sporulation. Microarray data showed there are several two-component systems that has a possibility to regulate virX. Now we are constructing the mutant strains of these two-component systems.

Free Research Field

細菌学