The multidrug-resistant human pathogen Clostridium difficile has a highly mobile, mosaic genome.
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.
Sebaihia
Mohammed
M
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.
Wren
Brendan W
BW
Mullany
Peter
P
Fairweather
Neil F
NF
Minton
Nigel
N
Stabler
Richard
R
Thomson
Nicholas R
NR
Roberts
Adam P
AP
Cerdeño-Tárraga
Ana M
AM
Wang
Hongmei
H
Holden
Matthew T G
MT
Wright
Anne
A
Churcher
Carol
C
Quail
Michael A
MA
Baker
Stephen
S
Bason
Nathalie
N
Brooks
Karen
K
Chillingworth
Tracey
T
Cronin
Ann
A
Davis
Paul
P
Dowd
Linda
L
Fraser
Audrey
A
Feltwell
Theresa
T
Hance
Zahra
Z
Holroyd
Simon
S
Jagels
Kay
K
Moule
Sharon
S
Mungall
Karen
K
Price
Claire
C
Rabbinowitsch
Ester
E
Sharp
Sarah
S
Simmonds
Mark
M
Stevens
Kim
K
Unwin
Louise
L
Whithead
Sally
S
Dupuy
Bruno
B
Dougan
Gordon
G
Barrell
Bart
B
Parkhill
Julian
J
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
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial