Impact of Clostridium botulinum genomic diversity on food safety

Michael W Peck,Arnoud Hm Van Vliet

doi:10.1016/j.cofs.2016.09.006

Michael W Peck, Arnoud Hm Van Vliet

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2016.09.006

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Abstract

The deadly botulinum neurotoxin formed by Clostridium botulinum is the causative agent of foodborne botulism. The increasing availability of C. botulinum genome sequences is starting to allow the genomic diversity of C. botulinum Groups I and II and their neurotoxins to be characterised. This information will impact on microbiological food safety through improved surveillance and tracing/tracking during outbreaks, and a better characterisation of C. botulinum Groups I and II, including the risk presented, and new insights into their biology, food chain transmission, and evolution.

Highlights

Introduction to Clostridium botulinum and foodborne botulism Various molecular and physiological approaches have shown that Clostridium botulinum is a diverse species that comprises four distinct groups of bacteria (C. botulinum Groups I to IV), that form the deadly botulinum neurotoxin
C. botulinum Groups I and II are associated with foodborne botulism and other forms of human botulism, C. botulinum Group III with botulism in animals, while C. botulinum Group IV has not been strongly associated with botulism
The botulinum neurotoxins are the most potent poison known, and foodborne botulism may be caused by consuming as little as 50 ng of neurotoxin [2, 8]

Summary

Introduction

Introduction to Clostridium botulinum and foodborne botulism Various molecular (including whole genome sequencing) and physiological approaches have shown that Clostridium botulinum is a diverse species that comprises four distinct groups of bacteria (C. botulinum Groups I to IV), that form the deadly botulinum neurotoxin. C. botulinum Group I strains possess up to three neurotoxin genes, and form up to three neurotoxins of type A, B and/or F.

Results

Conclusion