Characterization of polymorphisms and isoforms of the Clostridium perfringens phospholipase C gene (plc) reveals high genetic diversity

Clostridium perfringens phospholipase C (Cp-PLC), also called alpha-toxin, is encoded by the plc gene and has been implicated in several diseases; however, only a few studies have described polymorphisms in this gene. The aim of this study was to analyze polymorphisms in the Cp-PLC nucleotide and amino acid sequences obtained from isolates from different regions and to compare them to Clostridium phospholipase C sequences deposited in the NCBI database. Environmental samples (sediment, poultry feed, sawdust) and stool samples (from poultry, bovine, swine, horse, caprine, bird, dog, rabbit, toucan) were collected from healthy and sick animals. A total of 73 isolates were analyzed with the majority of samples belonging to the toxin type A subtype and possessing the gene encoding for the beta-2 toxin. Comparison of plc gene sequences from respective isolates revealed a high genetic diversity in the nucleotide sequences of mature Cp-PLC. Sequence comparisons identified 30 amino acid substitutions and 34 isoforms including some isoforms with substitutions in amino acids critical to toxin function. Comparison of sequences obtained in this study to Cp-PLC sequences obtained from the NCBI database resulted in the identification of 11 common haplotypes and 22 new isoforms. Phylogenetic analysis of phospholipase C sequences obtained from other Clostridium species identified relationships previously described. This report describes a broad characterization of the genetic diversity in the C. perfringens plc gene resulting in the identification of various isoforms. A better understanding of sequences encoding phospholipase C isoforms may reveal changes associated with protein function and C. perfringens virulence.