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J. Bacteriol. doi:10.1128/JB.01748-07
Copyright (c) 2007, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

Clostridium perfringens spore germination: characterization of germinants and their receptors

Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Food Science and Technology, and Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; and Department of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: sarkerm{at}oregonstate.edu.

	Abstract

Clostridium perfringens food poisoning is caused by type A isolates carrying a chromosomal enterotoxin (cpe) gene (C-cpe), while C. perfringens-associated non-food-borne gastrointestinal (GI) diseases are caused by isolates carrying a plasmid-borne cpe (P-cpe). C. perfringens spores are thought to be the important infectious cell morphotype, and after inoculation into a suitable host, these spores must germinate and return to active growth to cause GI disease. We have found differences in the germination of spores of C-cpe and P-cpe isolates in that: (i) while a mixture of L-asparagine and KCl was a good germinant for spores of C-cpe and P-cpe isolates, KCl and, to a lesser extent, L-asparagine triggered spore germination only in C-cpe isolates; and (ii) L-alanine or L-valine induced significant germination of spores of P-cpe but not of C-cpe isolates. Spores of a gerK mutant of a C-cpe isolate in which two of the proteins of a spore nutrient germinant receptor are absent germinated slower than wild-type spores with KCl, did not germinate with L-asparagine, and germinated poorly with the non-nutrient germinants dodecylamine and a 1:1 chelate of Ca²⁺ and dipicolinic acid compared to wild-type spores. In contrast, spores of a gerAA mutant of a C-cpe isolate that lacks another component of a nutrient germinant receptor germinated at the same rate as wild-type spores with high concentrations of KCl, although germinated slightly slower with a lower KCl concentration, suggesting an auxiliary role for GerAA in C. perfringens spore germination. In sum, this study identified nutrient germinants for spores of both C-cpe and P-cpe isolates of C. perfringens and provided evidence that proteins encoded by the gerK operon are required for both nutrient- and non-nutrient-induced spore germination.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Paredes-Sabja, D., Bond, C., Carman, R. J., Setlow, P., Sarker, M. R. (2008). Germination of spores of Clostridium difficile strains, including isolates from a hospital outbreak of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD). Microbiology 154: 2241-2250 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Paredes-Sabja, D., Setlow, B., Setlow, P., Sarker, M. R. (2008). Characterization of Clostridium perfringens Spores That Lack SpoVA Proteins and Dipicolinic Acid. J. Bacteriol. 190: 4648-4659 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
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