Clostridium botulinum strain Af84 contains three neurotoxin gene clusters: bont/A2, bont/F4 and bont/F5

PLoS One. 2013 Apr 12;8(4):e61205. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061205. Print 2013.

Abstract

Sanger and shotgun sequencing of Clostridium botulinum strain Af84 type Af and its botulinum neurotoxin gene (bont) clusters identified the presence of three bont gene clusters rather than the expected two. The three toxin gene clusters consisted of bont subtypes A2, F4 and F5. The bont/A2 and bont/F4 gene clusters were located within the chromosome (the latter in a novel location), while the bont/F5 toxin gene cluster was located within a large 246 kb plasmid. These findings are the first identification of a C. botulinum strain that contains three botulinum neurotoxin gene clusters.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Botulinum Toxins / genetics*
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A / genetics*
  • Chromosomes, Bacterial / genetics
  • Clostridium botulinum / genetics*
  • Genomics
  • Mice
  • Multigene Family / genetics*
  • Neurotoxins / genetics*
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis*

Substances

  • Neurotoxins
  • Botulinum Toxins
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A
  • botulinum toxin type F

Grants and funding

These studies were supported by the California Department of Public Health. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.