Abstract
Approximately 11% the Clostridium difficile genome is made up of mobile genetic elements which have a profound effect on the biology of the organism. This includes transfer of antibiotic resistance and other factors that allow the organism to survive challenging environments, modulation of toxin gene expression, transfer of the toxin genes themselves and the conversion of non-toxigenic strains to toxin producers. Mobile genetic elements have also been adapted by investigators to probe the biology of the organism and the various ways in which these have been used are reviewed.
Highlights
11% of the Clostridium difficile genome is made up of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) [1] which provides the bacterium with a remarkable genetic plasticity
C. difficile contains a large number of MGEs and as we have discussed above, these have a wide-ranging effect on the biology of the bacterium
Further examples include the ability of Tn5397 to insertionally target C. difficile genes containing Fic domains, which may have a role in virulence
Summary
11% of the Clostridium difficile genome is made up of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) [1] which provides the bacterium with a remarkable genetic plasticity. MGEs are highly heterogeneous and here we will define them in the loosest possible terms as any region of nucleic acid that can move from one part of a genome to another or between genomes. By this definition, MGEs range from the simple insertion sequences which contain only the genetic information required for movement from one part of the genome to another, to bacteriophage, large conjugative transposons and mega plasmids which are complex genomes in themselves. Of these genetic elements and discuss the mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer and the consequent biological effects on the host cell
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