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Neurotoxin Gene Clusters in Clostridium botulinum Type A Strains: Sequence Comparison and Evolutionary Implications

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Abstract

The nucleotide sequence of the hemagglutinin (ha) genes and the transcriptional regulator botR gene were determined in type A Clostridium botulinum strain 62A, and the complete nucleotide sequence of the botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) gene cluster was determined in strain Hall A-hyper. Comparison of the BoNT/A gene clusters revealed only two nucleotide differences between the two strains. The nucleotide sequences of the regions flanking the BoNT clusters were also determined in strains 62A, Hall A-hyper, and type A(B) strain NCTC 2916. The regions upstream of the BoNT/A clusters in the type A strains shared marked homology with the region upstream of the silent BoNT/B cluster in the A(B) strain, indicating a similar evolutionary origin. The region downstream of the BoNT/A cluster in type A strains encodes putative insertion sequence (IS) elements with multiple internal mutations. These IS elements may have played a role in neurotoxin gene transfer within the host genome and to other Clostridium species.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Microbiology and Toxicology, Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, 1925 Willow Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA, , , , , , US

    Sean S. Dineen, Marite Bradshaw & Eric A. Johnson

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  1. Sean S. Dineen
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  2. Marite Bradshaw
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  3. Eric A. Johnson
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Received: 17 April 2002 / Accepted: 22 July 2002

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Dineen, S., Bradshaw, M. & Johnson, E. Neurotoxin Gene Clusters in Clostridium botulinum Type A Strains: Sequence Comparison and Evolutionary Implications. Curr Microbiol 46, 0345–0352 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-002-3851-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-002-3851-1

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