Genetic analysis of beta 2 -toxin of clostridium perfringens type B and C strains

ABSTRACT

The present study reports the presence of the beta2 toxin gene cpb[2] in both C and B strains of C. perfringens but with a great degree of heterogeneity on the bases of nucleotides sequence. The gene was found associated with the chromosomal but not with the plasmid DNA. The DNA sequencing revealed that the difference in the nucleotide sequence found in the middle of the gene between nt 35 - 220 with the most diversity lies between nt 550-700 downstream to 5' end of the gene. At nt 36 - 45, lies a pronounced divergence of the cpb[2] from B strain from the consensus sequence where C strain marked the divergence at nt 140 - 150. On the other hand there is a great diversity lies between B and C strains at the position of nt 105-150 but all come with consensus sequence