title: Characterisation of cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) mutants of Campylobacter jejuni.
abstract: In order to assess the contribution of cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) to the toxigenicity and pathogenicity of Campylobacter jejuni, the C. jejuni 81-176 and C. jejuni NCTC 11168 CDTs were inactivated by insertional mutation of the cdtB toxin subunit. Cell-free sonicates from isogenic C. jejuni 81-176 cdtB- strains were found to be greatly attenuated in HeLa cytotoxicity assays, whilst still retaining some toxigenicity. Sonicates from a C. jejuni NCTC 11168 cdtB- strain produced no detectable cytotoxicity. When orally administered to adult severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice, C. jejuni cdtB mutant strains were unaffected in enteric colonisation abilities but demonstrated impaired invasiveness into blood, spleen and liver tissues. These data suggest that CDT may be the principal toxin produced by this species and that some C. jejuni strains may generate additional toxigenic factor(s) distinct from CDT.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Purdy
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Buswell
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hodgson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McALPINE
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Leach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000633:toxicity; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D018274:Electroporation; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C067044:cytolethal distending toxin