Article
Microbiology
Andrea Martinez Aguirre, Nazli Yalcinkaya, Qinglong Wu, Alton Swennes, Mary Elizabeth Tessier, Paul Roberts, Fabio Miyajima, Tor Savidge, Joseph A. Sorg
Summary: Infections of Clostridioides difficile result from disruptions to the normal colonic microbiota, often caused by broad-spectrum antibiotics. While secondary bile acids are toxic to C. difficile, their generation through 7 alpha-dehydroxylation is not necessary for protection against C. difficile infection. Instead, bacteria that 7 alpha-dehydroxylate primary bile acids protect against C. difficile through bile acid-independent mechanisms, suggesting that Stickland metabolism plays a key role in consuming essential nutrients for C. difficile growth.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Pei-Wen Wang, Wei-Ting Lee, Ya-Na Wu, Dar-Bin Shieh
Summary: Clostridioides difficile, a spore-forming bacterium, poses a serious health problem as a nosocomial infectious pathogen. Its spores have complex structures and dormant characteristics, contributing to their resistance to harsh environments. The vegetative cells produce endospores, and the mature spores are released from the hosts for dissemination of the pathogen.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeshina Janardhanan, Choon Kim, Yuanyuan Qian, Jingdong Yang, Jayda E. Meisel, Derong Ding, Enrico Speri, Valerie A. Schroeder, William R. Wolter, Allen G. Oliver, Shahriar Mobashery, Mayland Chang
Summary: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a deadly public health threat with high recurrence rates. The discovery of an oxadiazole as an anti-CDI agent that inhibits cell-wall biosynthesis and spore germination shows promise in clinical treatment and breaking the cycles of infection.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Prabhat K. Talukdar, Mahfuzur R. Sarker
Summary: This study identified new sporulation and germination genes in Clostridium perfringens, and confirmed the importance of these genes in the processes of spore formation and germination.
Article
Microbiology
Jacqueline R. Phan, Dung M. Do, Minh Chau Truong, Connie Ngo, Julian H. Phan, Shiv K. Sharma, Angel Schilke, Chrisabelle C. Mefferd, Jacob V. Villarama, Dengxun Lai, Amber Consul, Brian P. Hedlund, Steven M. Firestine, Ernesto Abel-Santos
Summary: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Hypervirulent strains have led to increased CDI rates, and standard treatments are becoming less effective. The bile salt analog CaPA was found to be a better antigerminant than CamSA against different C. difficile strains, and it showed efficacy in preventing CDI in mice and hamsters.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shiv K. Sharma, Christopher Yip, Matthew P. Simon, Jacqueline Phan, Ernesto Abel-Santos, Steven M. Firestine
Summary: Inhibitory activity of bile acid derivatives on C. difficile spores depends on the number and configuration of hydroxyl groups, with chenodeoxycholic acid and its derivatives showing high inhibitory activity against spore germination.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Brintha P. Girinathan, Nicholas DiBenedetto, Jay N. Worley, Johann Peltier, Mario L. Arrieta-Ortiz, Selva Rupa Christinal Immanuel, Richard Lavin, Mary L. Delaney, Christopher K. Cummins, Maria Hoffman, Yan Luo, Narjol Gonzalez-Escalona, Marc Allard, Andrew B. Onderdonk, Georg K. Gerber, Abraham L. Sonenshein, Nitin S. Baliga, Bruno Dupuy, Lynn Bry
Summary: Different species of Clostridia can protect against or worsen Clostridioides difficile infection in mice by modulating the pathogen's colonization, growth, and virulence through altering the gut-nutrient environment. This research lays the groundwork for mechanistically informed therapies to counter C. difficile disease using systems biology approaches to define host-commensal-pathogen interactions in vivo.
CELL HOST & MICROBE
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jasmine Hadj Saadoun, Alessia Levante, Martina Marrella, Valentina Bernini, Erasmo Neviani, Camilla Lazzi
Summary: The food industry needs to ensure product stability, which is often achieved through heat treatments that can eliminate microorganisms. However, this may result in a loss of nutritional and sensory value. The addition of natural antimicrobials may be a valuable option to combat microbial survival.
Article
Microbiology
Noah Budi, Jared J. Godfrey, Nasia Safdar, Sanjay K. Shukla, Warren E. Rose
Summary: Clostridioides difficile infections are commonly treated with antibiotics, but these do not impact the dormant spore form of the pathogen. This study found that combining germinants with omadacycline was more effective in eradicating spores compared to vancomycin, showing potential for preventing recurrent CDI and limiting spore shedding in healthcare settings.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Matthew K. Schnizlein, Vincent B. Young
Summary: Clostridioides difficile infection is a significant burden on health and economy worldwide. This review provides insights into the physiology of C. difficile, its survival mechanisms in the gut environment, and the relationships between host-microorganism and microorganism-microorganism.
NATURE REVIEWS GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Sara A. Burgess, Faith P. Palevich, Amanda Gardner, John Mills, Gale Brightwell, Nikola Palevich
Summary: This study investigates the genomic conditions for germination of 37 representative Clostridium strains and finds that different species of Clostridium have different germination pathways, but the core components of the germination pathway are conserved.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Emmanuelle Boix, Louis Coroller, Olivier Couvert, Stella Planchon, Arnoud H. M. van Vliet, Jason Brunt, Michael W. Peck, Christine Rasetti-Escargueil, Emmanuel Lemichez, Michel R. Popoff, Stephane Andre
Summary: This study investigates the physiological characteristics of C. sporogenes and Group I C. botulinum isolates. It found that the combination of pH, NaCl, and heat treatment can help prevent or minimize foodborne botulism outbreaks.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Andrea Martinez Aguirre, Adegoke Oyeleye Adegbite, Joseph A. A. Sorg
Summary: The Clostridioides difficile pathogen can initiate infection through germination, which can be stimulated by certain amino acids and bile salts. We discovered that C. difficile strains have bile salt hydrolase activity, specifically towards taurine-derived bile salts. This activity can produce cholate, which signals the initiation of biofilm formation in C. difficile.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Meng Wang, Zifeng Deng, Yanmei Li, Yi Ma, Jufang Wang
Summary: A novel lytic protein Cw1-CWB2 with high binding specificity and strong lytic activity has been designed in this study for combating C. difficile.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jessica M. Chisholm, Papanin Putsathit, Thomas V. Riley, Su-Chen Lim
Summary: This study reveals the common presence of toxigenic Clostridium difficile in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Western Australia, which are being released into the environment and becoming a potential source/reservoir for community-associated C. difficile infection (CA-CDI).
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Indu Upadhyaya, Abhinav Upadhyay, Anup Kollanoor-Johny, Shankumar Mooyottu, Sangeetha A. Baskaran, Hsin-Bai Yin, David T. Schreiber, Mazhar I. Khan, Michael J. Darre, Patricia A. Curtis, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2015)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Indu Upadhyaya, Abhinav Upadhyay, Hsin-Bai Yin, Meera S. Nair, Varun K. Bhattaram, Deepti Karumathil, Anup Kollanoor-Johny, Mazhar I. Khan, Michael J. Darre, Patricia A. Curtis, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
FOODBORNE PATHOGENS AND DISEASE
(2015)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Abhinav Upadhyay, Indu Upadhyaya, Deepti Prasad Karumathil, Hsin-bai Yin, Meera Surendran Nair, Varunkumar Bhattaram, Chi-hung Chen, Genevieve Flock, Shankumar Mooyottu, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2015)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Hsin-Bai Yin, Chi-Hung Chen, Anup Kollanoor-Johny, Michael J. Darre, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Indu Upadhyaya, Hsin-Bai Yin, Meera S. Nair, Chi-Hung Chen, Abhinav Upadhyay, Michael J. Darre, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Abhinav Upadhyay, Chi-hung Chen, Hsinbai Yin, Indu Upadhyaya, Samantha Fancher, Yanyan Liu, Meera Surendran Nair, Leanne Jankelunas, Jitendra R. Patel, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Deepti Prasad Karumathil, Hsin-Bai Yin, Anup Kollanoor-Johny, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
JOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION
(2016)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Indu Upadhyaya, H. -B. Yin, M. Surendran Nair, C. -H. Chen, R. Lang, M. J. Darre, K. Venkitanarayanan
Article
Microbiology
Meera Surendran Nair, Patrick Lau, Kaylin Belskie, Samantha Fancher, Chi-Hung Chen, Deepti Prasad Karumathil, Hsin-Bai Yin, Yanyan Liu, Fulin Ma, Indu Upadhyaya, Abhinav Upadhyay, Richard Mancini, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Hsin-Bai Yin, Chi-Hung Chen, Michael J. Darre, Ann M. Donoghue, Dan J. Donoghue, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Genevieve Flock, Hsin-Bai Yin, Chi-Hung Chen, Abraham Joseph Pellissery, Kumar Venkitanarayanan
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the survivability of C. difficile spores in fermented pork summer sausage. The results showed that C. difficile spores can survive the acidity, cooking, and storage at 4 degrees C for 3 months in the product, highlighting the need for effective intervention strategies to reduce the risk of C. difficile contamination in pork products.