Yes to toxin cloning

Cloning of Clostridium perfringens iota toxin gene in Escherichia coli

Iota toxin is produced by Clostridium perfringens type E. This toxin causes antibiotic-associated enterotoxemia in lambs and calves. Iota toxin is a binary toxin that has two components including Ia (the enzyme component) and Ib (the binding component). Ib binds to the surface receptor of target cells and translocate Ia into the cytosol of cells. The aim of this study was to clone toxigenic epi...

Molecular cloning of pertussis toxin genes.

We have cloned a 4.5 kb EcoRI/BamHI DNA fragment from Bordetella pertussis which contains at least two genes responsible for expression of pertussis toxin. The S4 subunit of the toxin was isolated by high pressure liquid chromatography and the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence determined. Using a mixed synthetic oligonucleotide probe designed by reverse translation of a portion of the protein se...

Sex during pregnancy: Yes, Yes, Yes!

Regular readers of this Journal will recall that it was just over a year ago that I was commissioned to explore the issue of ‘Grey Sex’:1 sexuality in the older age group and the challenges that raises for health professionals, not least in leading us to acknowledge that for human beings the sexual impulse does not inevitably fade. Fast forward, and in this Journal issue I want to explore sex a...

Molecular cloning of Clostridium septicum vaccine strain alpha toxin gene in E. coli

Clostridium septicum a Gram positive anaerobic bacterium produces several toxins including alpha, beta, gamma and delta. C. septicum alpha toxin is lethal and is responsible for a serious disease known as gas gangrene. The aim of the present study was to molecular cloning and sequencing of C. septicum vaccine strain alpha toxin gene. Genomic DNA was extracted using standard phenol and chlorofor...

Cloning of Binding Domain of Clostridium botlllinum Toxin Type A in Escherichia coli