McCurrie, K.L.A.; (2011) Development of transposon based tools for the investigation of virulence factors in Clostridium difficile. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

C. difficile is GI pathogen which under certain conditions colonises the colon leading CDI. During passage through the GI tract the bacterium in either vegetative or spore form encounters innate antimicrobial defence mechanisms evolved to prevent colonisation by microorganisms. One of these natural defences is the production of a potent digestive secretion known as bile. The major role of bile is to emulsify fats from ingested material to aid digestion. However, it is also an effective antimicrobial. The tolerance of C. difficile and its interaction with bile has not yet been fully investigated. The results obtained here describe the tolerance levels of two pathogenic strains, 630△erm and R20291, to bovine and ovine bile. Significant differences were seen in the tolerance of R20291 compared to 630△erm, with R20291 showing tolerance of a much higher concentration of bile. Analysis of genome-wide transcription levels using a microarray revealed differences in the expression of genes in 630△erm in response to bile exposure, although these were not statistically significant. These preliminary investigations do however provide a foundation for further elucidation of the interaction of C. difficile with bile.

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