Comparative transcriptomic analysis of Clostridium perfringens biofilms and planktonic cells

• Published in: Avian pathology Vol. 45; no. 5; pp. 593 - 601
• Main Authors: Charlebois, Audrey, Jacques, Mario, Archambault, Marie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 02.09.2016; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Amino acids; Animal species; Animals; bacteria; bacterial communities; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; biofilm; Biofilms; Biofilms - growth & development; birds; carbohydrate metabolism; Clostridium Infections - microbiology; Clostridium perfringens; Clostridium perfringens - genetics; Clostridium perfringens - growth & development; comparative transcriptomic; defense mechanisms; Down-Regulation; energy; extracellular matrix; Food contamination; foodborne illness; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; gene expression regulation; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; genes; Humans; Metabolism; Ornithology; Pathogens; plankton; Plankton - microbiology; planktonic cells; poisoning; RNA sequencing; sequence analysis; Sequence Analysis, RNA; transcription (genetics); Transcriptome; transcriptomics; translation (genetics); Up-Regulation; Virulence; RNA sequencing; comparative transcriptomic; planktonic cells; Clostridium perfringens; gene expression; biofilm
• ISSN: 0307-9457; 1465-3338; 1465-3338
• DOI: 10.1080/03079457.2016.1189512

Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause food poisoning in humans and various enterotoxaemias in animal species. Recently, C. perfringens was shown to form biofilms, a structured community of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced extracellular matrix. However, very little is known on the subject and no information is available on gene expression in C. perfringens biofilms. To gain insights into the differences between free-living C. perfringens cells and those in biofilms, we used RNA sequencing. In total, 25.7% of genes showed differential expression in the two growth modes; about 12.8% of genes were up-regulated and about 12.9% were down-regulated in biofilms. We show that 772 genes were significantly differentially expressed between biofilms and planktonic cells from the supernatant of biofilms. Genes that were down-regulated in biofilm cells, relative to planktonic cells, included those involved in virulence, energy production, amino acid, nucleotide and carbohydrate metabolism, and in translation and ribosomal structure. Genes up-regulated in biofilm cells were mainly involved in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, transcription, inorganic ion metabolism and in defence mechanisms. This study provides new insights into the transcriptomic response of C. perfringens during biofilm formation.