title: Historical and current perspectives on Clostridium botulinum diversity.
abstract: For nearly one hundred years, researchers have attempted to categorize botulinum neurotoxin-producing clostridia and the toxins that they produce according to biochemical characterizations, serological comparisons, and genetic analyses. Throughout this period the bacteria and their toxins have defied such attempts at categorization. Below is a description of both historic and current Clostridium botulinum strain and neurotoxin information that illustrates how each new finding has significantly added to the knowledge of the botulinum neurotoxin-containing clostridia and their diversity.
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Translational Sciences, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD 21702, USA. Electronic address: theresa.j.smith.civ@mail.mil.
authors.forename: Theresa J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Karen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Enteric Diseases Laboratory Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
authors.forename: Brian H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Raphael
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000235:genetics*; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014644:Genetic Variation; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D058889:Molecular Typing / Q000379:methods; D012703:Serotyping / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins
keywords: Botulinum neurotoxins; Clostridium botulinum; Genomics; Serotype