title: The multidrug-resistant human pathogen Clostridium difficile has a highly mobile, mosaic genome.
abstract: We determined the complete genome sequence of Clostridium difficile strain 630, a virulent and multidrug-resistant strain. Our analysis indicates that a large proportion (11%) of the genome consists of mobile genetic elements, mainly in the form of conjugative transposons. These mobile elements are putatively responsible for the acquisition by C. difficile of an extensive array of genes involved in antimicrobial resistance, virulence, host interaction and the production of surface structures. The metabolic capabilities encoded in the genome show multiple adaptations for survival and growth within the gut environment. The extreme genome variability was confirmed by whole-genome microarray analysis; it may reflect the organism's niche in the gut and should provide information on the evolution of virulence in this organism.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sebaihia
authors.forename: Brendan W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Wren
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mullany
authors.forename: Neil F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Fairweather
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Minton
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stabler
authors.forename: Nicholas R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: Adam P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cerdeño-Tárraga
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Matthew T G
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Churcher
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Quail
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bason
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chillingworth
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dowd
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Feltwell
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hance
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holroyd
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jagels
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moule
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mungall
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rabbinowitsch
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simmonds
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Unwin
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whithead
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dupuy
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dougan
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barrell
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parkhill
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009030:Mosaicism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial