A signal for toxin production | Nature Reviews Microbiology


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Access through your institution Buy or subscribe Toxigenic _Clostridium difficile_ strains produce toxin A and toxin B, which have been implicated in pathogenesis; however, the molecular


mechanisms regulating toxin production are elusive. Darkoh _et al_. now show that the Agr quorum sensing system has a role in toxin expression through the generation of a novel thiolactone


signalling peptide. Purified fractions containing this peptide from _C. difficile_ cultures and stool samples of infected patients stimulated toxin synthesis in both hypervirulent and


non-hypervirulent _C. difficile_ strains. In addition to the newly identified signalling peptide, components of the quorum sensing and response pathways were shown to be involved in toxin


expression. Thus, this quorum signalling pathway may provide new avenues for the development of therapeutics that target _C. difficile_. This is a preview of subscription content, access via


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Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support REFERENCES * Darkoh, C. et al. Toxin synthesis by _Clostridium difficile_ is regulated through


quorum signaling. _mBio_ 6, e02569–14 (2015) Article  Google Scholar  Download references Authors * Andrea Du Toit View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed 


Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Du Toit, A. A signal for toxin production. _Nat Rev Microbiol_ 13, 187 (2015).


https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3465 Download citation * Published: 16 March 2015 * Issue Date: April 2015 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3465 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the


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