Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin
Encyclopedia
Clostridium enterotoxins are toxin
s produced by Clostridium
species.
Clostridial species are one of the major causes of food poisoning/gastro-intestinal illnesses. They are anaerobic
, gram-positive, spore-forming rods that occur naturally in the soil. Among the family are: Clostridium botulinum
, which produces one of the most potent toxins in existence; Clostridium tetani
, causative agent of tetanus; and Clostridium perfringens
, commonly found in wound infections and diarrhoea cases. The use of toxins to damage the host is a method deployed by many bacterial pathogens.
The major virulence factor of C. perfringens is the CPE enterotoxin, which is secreted upon invasion of the host gut, and contributes to food poisoning and other gastrointestinal illnesses. It has a molecular weight of 35.3kDa, and is responsible for the disintegration of tight junctions between endothelial cells in the gut. This mechanism is mediated by host claudin-3
and claudin-4
receptors, situated at the tight junction
s
Clostridium enterotoxin is a nine-stranded beta sheet
sandwich in shape. It has been determined that it is very similar to other spore-forming bacteria
. The PFAM ID is a clenterotox.The binding site is between beta sheets eight and nine. This allows the human claudin
-3,4,6,7,8 and 14 to bind but not 1,2,5, and 10. The way the protein
work is it destroys the cell membranes structure of animals by binding to claudin
family proteins. These are components of tight junctions of the epithelial cell membrane
.
Toxin
A toxin is a poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms; man-made substances created by artificial processes are thus excluded...
s produced by Clostridium
Clostridium
Clostridium is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria, belonging to the Firmicutes. They are obligate anaerobes capable of producing endospores. Individual cells are rod-shaped, which gives them their name, from the Greek kloster or spindle...
species.
Clostridial species are one of the major causes of food poisoning/gastro-intestinal illnesses. They are anaerobic
Anaerobic
Anaerobic is a word which literally means without oxygen, as opposed to aerobic.In wastewater treatment the absence of oxygen is indicated as anoxic; and anaerobic is used to indicate the absence of a common electron acceptor such as nitrate, sulfate or oxygen.Anaerobic may refer to:*Anaerobic...
, gram-positive, spore-forming rods that occur naturally in the soil. Among the family are: Clostridium botulinum
Clostridium botulinum
Clostridium botulinum is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium that produces several toxins. The best known are its neurotoxins, subdivided in types A-G, that cause the flaccid muscular paralysis seen in botulism. It is also the main paralytic agent in botox. C. botulinum is an anaerobic...
, which produces one of the most potent toxins in existence; Clostridium tetani
Clostridium tetani
Clostridium tetani is a rod-shaped, anaerobic bacterium of the genus Clostridium. Like other Clostridium species, it is Gram-positive, and its appearance on a gram stain resembles tennis rackets or drumsticks. C. tetani is found as spores in soil or in the gastrointestinal tract of animals. C...
, causative agent of tetanus; and Clostridium perfringens
Clostridium perfringens
Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium of the genus Clostridium. C. perfringens is ever present in nature and can be found as a normal component of decaying vegetation, marine sediment, the intestinal tract of humans and other vertebrates,...
, commonly found in wound infections and diarrhoea cases. The use of toxins to damage the host is a method deployed by many bacterial pathogens.
The major virulence factor of C. perfringens is the CPE enterotoxin, which is secreted upon invasion of the host gut, and contributes to food poisoning and other gastrointestinal illnesses. It has a molecular weight of 35.3kDa, and is responsible for the disintegration of tight junctions between endothelial cells in the gut. This mechanism is mediated by host claudin-3
CLDN3
Claudin 3, also known as CLDN3, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the CLDN3 gene. It is a member of the claudin protein family....
and claudin-4
CLDN4
Claudin 4, also known as CLDN4, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the CLDN4 gene. It belongs to the group of claudins.This gene encodes an integral membrane protein, which belongs to the claudin family. The protein is a component of tight junction strands and may play a role in internal...
receptors, situated at the tight junction
Tight junction
Tight junctions, or zonula occludens, are the closely associated areas of two cells whose membranes join together forming a virtually impermeable barrier to fluid. It is a type of junctional complex present only in vertebrates...
s
Clostridium enterotoxin is a nine-stranded beta sheet
Beta sheet
The β sheet is the second form of regular secondary structure in proteins, only somewhat less common than the alpha helix. Beta sheets consist of beta strands connected laterally by at least two or three backbone hydrogen bonds, forming a generally twisted, pleated sheet...
sandwich in shape. It has been determined that it is very similar to other spore-forming bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
. The PFAM ID is a clenterotox.The binding site is between beta sheets eight and nine. This allows the human claudin
Claudin
Claudins are a family of proteins that are the most important components of the tight junctions, where they establish the paracellular barrier that controls the flow of molecules in the intercellular space between the cells of an epithelium...
-3,4,6,7,8 and 14 to bind but not 1,2,5, and 10. The way the protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
work is it destroys the cell membranes structure of animals by binding to claudin
Claudin
Claudins are a family of proteins that are the most important components of the tight junctions, where they establish the paracellular barrier that controls the flow of molecules in the intercellular space between the cells of an epithelium...
family proteins. These are components of tight junctions of the epithelial cell membrane
Cell membrane
The cell membrane or plasma membrane is a biological membrane that separates the interior of all cells from the outside environment. The cell membrane is selectively permeable to ions and organic molecules and controls the movement of substances in and out of cells. It basically protects the cell...
.