title: Recombinant Alpha, Beta, and Epsilon Toxins of Clostridium perfringens: Production Strategies and Applications as Veterinary Vaccines.
abstract: Clostridium perfringensis a spore-forming, commensal, ubiquitous bacterium that is present in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy humans and animals. This bacterium produces up to 18 toxins. The species is classified into five toxinotypes (A-E) according to the toxins that the bacterium produces: alpha, beta, epsilon, or iota. Each of these toxinotypes is associated with myriad different, frequently fatal, illnesses that affect a range of farm animals and humans. Alpha, beta, and epsilon toxins are the main causes of disease. Vaccinations that generate neutralizing antibodies are the most common prophylactic measures that are currently in use. These vaccines consist of toxoids that are obtained fromC. perfringenscultures. Recombinant vaccines offer several advantages over conventional toxoids, especially in terms of the production process. As such, they are steadily gaining ground as a promising vaccination solution. This review discusses the main strategies that are currently used to produce recombinant vaccines containing alpha, beta, and epsilon toxins ofC. perfringens, as well as the potential application of these molecules as vaccines for mammalian livestock animals.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96160-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. marcosferreiravet@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marcos Roberto A
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96160-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. moreira.gmsg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gustavo Marçal S G
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96160-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. cpouey@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo P da
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Unidade Acadêmica de Garanhuns, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Garanhuns CEP 55292-270, Pernambuco, Brazil. marcelomendoncavet@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendonça
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Pará, Castanhal CEP 68740-970, Pará, Brazil. felipems@ufpa.br.
authors.forename: Felipe M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Salvarani
authors.affiliation: Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96160-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. angelanmoreira@yahoo.com.br.|Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96010-610, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. angelanmoreira@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Ângela N
authors.initials: ÂN
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas CEP 96160-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. fabricio.rochedo@ufpel.edu.br.
authors.forename: Fabricio R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Conceição
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic
keywords: clostridiosis; enterotoxaemia; gas gangrene; necrotic enteritis; recombinant toxins; veterinary vaccines