
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: June 23, 2023
SUMMARY Clostridioides difficile RT027 strains cause infections that vary in severity from asymptomatic to lethal, but the molecular basis for this variability is poorly understood. Through comparative analyses of clinical isolates, we determined isolates exhibit greater their flagellar gene expression virulence vivo . C. genes are phase-variably expressed due site-specific inversion flgB 5’UTR region, which reversibly generates ON vs. OFF orientations switch. We found longer inverted repeat (IR) sequences switch region correlate with disease severity, carrying 6A/6T IR exhibiting phenotypic heterogeneity (60%-75% ON) and causing more severe than those shorter IRs (> 99% or OFF). Taken together, our results reveal may contribute variable observed patients.
Language: Английский