Journal article

The VirSR two-component signal transduction system regulates NetB toxin production in Clostridium perfringens

JK Cheung, AL Keyburn, GP Carter, AL Lanckriet, F Van Immerseel, RJ Moore, JI Rood

Infection and Immunity | AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY | Published : 2010

Abstract

Clostridium perfringens causes several diseases in domestic livestock, including necrotic enteritis in chickens, which is of concern to the poultry industry due to its health implications and associated economic cost. The novel pore-forming toxin NetB is a critical virulence factor in the pathogenesis of this disease. In this study, we have examined the regulation of NetB toxin production. In C. perfringens, the quorum sensing-dependent VirSR two-component signal transduction system regulates genes encoding several toxins and extracellular enzymes. Analysis of the sequence upstream of the netB gene revealed the presence of potential DNA binding sites, or VirR boxes, that are recognized by th..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Funding Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Structural and Functional Microbial Genomics with funding from the Australian Research Council and by grants from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Poultry Cooperative Research Centre.