Abstract
The cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) is a well characterized bacterial genotoxin encoded by several Gram-negative bacteria, including Salmonella enterica (S. enterica). The CDT produced by Salmonella (S-CDT) differs from the CDT produced by other bacteria, as it utilizes subunits with homology to the pertussis and subtilase toxins, in place of the traditional CdtA and CdtC subunits. Previously, S-CDT was thought to be a unique virulence factor of S. enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhi, lending to its classification as the “typhoid toxin.” Recently, this important virulence factor has been identified and characterized in multiple nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) serotypes as well. The significance of S-CDT in salmonellosis with regards to the: (i) distribution of S-CDT encoding genes among NTS serotypes, (ii) contributions to pathogenicity, (iii) regulation of S-CDT expression, and (iv) the public health implication of S-CDT as it relates to disease severity, are reviewed here.
Highlights
Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes gastrointestinal illness in humans and animals
cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) was first characterized in Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the late 1980s by Johnson and Lior, who noted that eukaryotic cells which were co-incubated with filtrates of overnight cultures of E. coli appeared distended, and arrested in the G2/M phase [14]
Despite CdtB’s confirmed activity, it is still unclear if CdtB preferentially targets certain DNA motifs, and how many single strand breaks (SSB) and/or double strand breaks (DSB) it may introduce into any given strand of DNA
Summary
Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes gastrointestinal illness in humans and animals. Typhi was found to encode a variant of the cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), an important virulence factor for several other Gram-negative bacteria [10]. This novel form of CDT (hereafter referred to as “S-CDT” for Salmonella CDT) was believed to be unique to S. This review will: (i) summarize the current understanding of the distribution, production, structure and function, and cytotoxic effects of S-CDT produced by S. enterica serotypes; and (ii) compare the unique features of S-CDT to the CDTs produced by other Gram-negative bacteria
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