Anaerobe最新文献

{"title":"Clostridium saudiense bacteremia: case report and literature review of C.celatum group infections.","authors":"Marco Visicaro, Giacomo Franceschi, Filippo Calandra Buonaura, Irene Venturelli, Claudia Venturelli, Mario Sarti, Giulia Fregni Serpini, Antonella Grottola, Pecorari Monica, Cristina Mussini, Cinzia Puzzolante","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Clostridium saudiense is a commensal bacterium of the human gut, recently included in the Clostridium celatum group. Infections caused by these pathogens are rarely reported, and their pathogenic mechanisms are not yet well understood.</p><p><strong>Case presentation/results: </strong>We describe the case of an 82-year-old woman with bacteremia and an iliopsoas abscess due to C. saudiense. Blood cultures and abscess fluid sample confirmed the presence of C. saudiense through 16S rDNA gene sequencing. The patient underwent a three-week course of teicoplanin, guided by therapeutic drug monitoring, for a total duration of three months. A literature review identified six additional cases of C. celatum group infections, emphasizing the rarity of the condition, the variability of clinical manifestations and the therapeutic approaches followed. All cases had a favorable outcome.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>C. celatum group infections are rare and require a multidisciplinary approach for optimal management. 16S rDNA sequencing has proven essential for accurate identification. Further research is needed to better understand the pathogenic role of these bacteria and to establish optimal therapeutic strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":" ","pages":"103075"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148711269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Species Distribution and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Anaerobic Bacteria Recovered from Clinical Specimens in Warsaw University Hospitals.","authors":"Marta Kierzkowska, Dominika Lachowicz, Dominika Seliga-Gąsior, Edyta Podsiadły","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103073","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The aim of this study was to characterize the distribution of anaerobic bacteria isolated from clinical specimens across major specimen types and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the most frequently isolated species.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Clinical specimens collected in 2022 from three university hospitals in Warsaw were analyzed. Anaerobes were identified using MALDI-TOF MS, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to EUCAST guidelines. A total of 1,425 isolates were included and classified as Gram-negative anaerobic bacilli (GNAB), Gram-positive anaerobic cocci (GPAC), Gram-positive anaerobic bacilli (GPAB), and spore-forming bacilli.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Skin and soft tissue specimens yielded the largest number of isolates (n = 720), predominantly Finegoldia magna, Bacteroides fragilis, Anaerococcus vaginalis, and Prevotella bivia. Among intra-abdominal specimens (n = 366), the Bacteroides species constituted the majority of GNAB. Among head and neck specimens (n = 261), Prevotella spp. and Parvimonas micra were most common. Isolates recovered from blood cultures (n = 59) were dominated by Cutibacterium acnes, followed by Bacteroides spp. and Clostridium spp. Metronidazole and meropenem showed the highest overall activity (>95% susceptibility). β-lactam-β-lactamase inhibitor combinations remained broadly effective, with susceptibility rates exceeding 90% for most anaerobic species, although lower susceptibility was observed among certain Bacteroides species, particularly B. thetaiotaomicron (69.1%). Clindamycin susceptibility was 50% or lower among Bacteroides species and variable among Prevotella spp. and GPAC.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Anaerobic bacteria isolated from clinical specimens demonstrated considerable species diversity and characteristic specimen-specific distribution patterns. Bacteroides and Prevotella species, predominated in intra-abdominal specimens, whereas F. magna and other GPAC were most commonly recovered from skin and soft tissue infections. Species belonging to Actinomyces and related genera were frequently identified in specimens from head and neck infections. Although susceptibility rates exceeded 95% for carbapenems and metronidazole, species-dependent resistance-particularly to clindamycin and piperacillin-tazobactam-highlights the need for ongoing surveillance and precise species-level identification to support optimal empirical therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":" ","pages":"103073"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148700678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A single clinical Clostridioides difficile RT012/ST54 isolate retains inflammatory activity under glucose-associated toxin-reducing conditions.","authors":"Carolina Castro-Peña, Carlos Quesada-Gómez, Esteban Chaves-Olarte","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Clostridioides difficile infection is primarily attributed to toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB), the major mediators of epithelial damage and intestinal inflammation. However, strain-dependent differences in pathogenicity have been reported, suggesting that additional bacterial factors may contribute to host inflammatory responses.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To compare the inflammatory activity of culture supernatants from the single clinical isolate LIBA-5751/NAP_CR1/RT012/ST54 and reference C. difficile strains under toxin-containing and glucose-repressed conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>C. difficile strains, including the clinical isolates LIBA-5751/NAP_CR1/RT012/ST54 and LIBA-5758/NAP1/RT027/ST01 and the reference strains VPI10463/RT003/ST046 and 630/RT012/ST54, were grown anaerobically in tryptose-yeast extract-thioglycolate broth with or without 1% glucose. Glucose-associated reduction of toxin activity was assessed by electrophoretic protein profiling, cytotoxicity assays, and Rac1 glucosylation analysis. Biological activity was evaluated in a mouse ligated ileal loop model by macroscopic examination, histopathology, cytokine quantification, and myeloperoxidase activity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Glucose supplementation did not substantially alter bacterial growth but markedly reduced detectable toxin-associated bands, cytopathic activity, and Rac1 glucosylation. Toxin-containing supernatants from LIBA-5758/NAP1/RT027/ST01 and VPI10463/RT003/ST046 produced the most pronounced epithelial injury. Under the same conditions, LIBA-5758/NAP1/RT027/ST01, VPI10463/RT003/ST046, and LIBA-5751/NAP_CR1/RT012/ST54 induced robust inflammatory responses. Under glucose-repressed conditions, epithelial damage was no longer evident, and inflammatory activity was markedly reduced in LIBA-5758/NAP1/RT027/ST01, VPI10463/RT003/ST046, and 630/RT012/ST54. In contrast, supernatants from LIBA-5751/NAP_CR1/RT012/ST54 retained substantial inflammatory activity, including increased TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and myeloperoxidase activity, despite the absence of overt epithelial damage.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The clinical isolate LIBA-5751/NAP_CR1/RT012/ST54 retained substantial inflammatory activity under glucose-repressed conditions despite markedly reduced detectable toxin-associated activity. This phenotype was not observed to the same extent in the other strains examined, including the RT012/ST54 reference strain 630. These findings identify a strain-specific inflammatory phenotype observed in LIBA-5751/NAP_CR1/RT012/ST54 and support further investigation into the extracellular factors that may contribute to inflammatory responses in C. difficile.</p>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":" ","pages":"103074"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148700630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of genes involved in extracellular DNA release during biofilm formation in Clostridium perfringens","authors":"Takeshi Ando ,&nbsp;Nobuhiko Nomura ,&nbsp;Nozomu Obana","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div><em>Clostridium perfringens</em> forms temperature-responsive pellicle biofilms at 25 °C, characterized by a fibrous matrix composed of BsaA proteins. In addition to BsaA, extracellular DNA (eDNA) contributes to biofilm structural integrity. However, the mechanism underlying its release remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the genetic determinants of eDNA release during pellicle biofilm maturation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We visualized the release of nucleic acids during <em>C. perfringens</em> proliferation using anaerobic live-cell imaging and quantified dead-cell frequency and eDNA levels. We analyzed biofilm matrix-associated RNA by RNA-seq. We deleted candidate genes to assess their roles in biofilm formation and eDNA release. Promoter activity was evaluated using fluorescence reporter assays.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Live-cell imaging demonstrated that, during growth, a subpopulation released nucleic acids via cell lysis. Dead-cell frequency and eDNA levels increased as a function of pellicle biofilm maturation, suggesting that eDNA released from dead cells contributed to biofilm integrity. We found that biofilm matrix-associated extracellular nucleic acids contained RNA, which likely reflects the transcriptome of lysed cells. RNA-seq revealed transcripts enriched in the matrix fraction, thereby identifying several genes required for pellicle biofilm maturation. Among them, deletion of <em>cpe2430</em> markedly reduced eDNA levels and impaired biofilm structural stability. Promoter-reporter analysis showed bimodal expression of <em>cpe2430</em>, with high expression limited to ∼3 of the population.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>We identified genetic factors governing eDNA release and biofilm maturation in <em>C. perfringens</em>. Our findings suggest a model in which regulated lysis of a subpopulation drives eDNA release, thereby reinforcing biofilm architecture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":"98 ","pages":"Article 103052"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147855761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clostridioides difficile in chicken fresh meat at retail in France","authors":"Caroline Le Maréchal ,&nbsp;Muriel Ehmig ,&nbsp;Guillaume Reboul ,&nbsp;Laure Diancourt ,&nbsp;Baptiste Houry ,&nbsp;Delphine Novi ,&nbsp;Marianne Chemaly ,&nbsp;Frédéric Barbut","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Foodborne transmission of <em>Clostridioides difficile</em> is strongly suspected, particularly through poultry fresh meat products. In this study, <em>C. difficile</em> was detected in 1.5% of chicken thighs (n = 271) but in none of the cutlets (n = 194). RT001 was one of the toxigenic ribotypes identified, and cgMLST analysis showed no close relationship with any previously sequenced human strains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":"98 ","pages":"Article 103055"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148136516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clostridial hemolysin β-pore-forming toxins: from genomic insights to receptor specificity and clinical implications","authors":"Jan Franzen ,&nbsp;Faezeh Farhoosh-de Vos ,&nbsp;Filippo Cattalani ,&nbsp;Iva Cvitas ,&nbsp;Horst Posthaus","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Several clostridial species can cause severe diseases in humans and animals. Among their most frequent virulence factors are hemolysin β-pore-forming toxins (β-PFTs). These protein toxins are secreted as soluble monomers that oligomerize on host cell membranes to form membrane-inserted β-barrel pores. Recent research on bacterial hemolysin β-PFTs showed that many, including those secreted by clostridia, target their host cells via specific membrane protein receptors. To date, 14 hemolysin β-PFTs and related homologs have been identified in different <em>Clostridium</em> species, most of which remain uncharacterized. Here we report 11 additional putative hemolysin β-PFT homologs identified across six <em>Clostridium</em> species through database analyses. We reviewed knowledge from genomic, <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> studies on clostridial hemolysin β-PFTs, with emphasis on toxin-host cell recognition and the roles in the pathogenesis of diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":"98 ","pages":"Article 103048"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147760286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A diabetic mouse model of early stages of Clostridium perfringens -gas gangrene","authors":"Francisco A. Uzal ,&nbsp;Jihong Li ,&nbsp;Juliann Beingesser ,&nbsp;Jessica Banuelos ,&nbsp;Mauricio A. Navarro ,&nbsp;Bruce A. McClane","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Since <em>Clostridium perfringens</em> gas gangrene is strongly associated with human diabetes, this study compared gas gangrene severity in <em>db/db</em> (a model for type 2 diabetes) <em>vs</em> wild-type (WT) mice after a 4 h <em>C. perfringens</em> challenge.</div></div><div><h3>Material and methods</h3><div>Before <em>C. perfringens</em> challenge, glucose and branched chain amino acids (BCAA) concentrations were significantly higher in <em>db/db</em> vs. WT mice. All mice were then inoculated intramuscularly in, i) the left thigh with DPBS containing 10⁶, 10⁷ or 10⁸ washed cells of <em>C. perfringens</em> type A strain ATCC3624 and ii) the right hind thigh with DPBS. After 4 h, mice were euthanized and samples of muscle and subcutaneous tissue from those thighs were collected for anaerobic culture or histology examination.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Gross and microscopic lesions in the left thigh were influenced by bacterial dose. With 10⁷ or 10⁸ bacterial challenges, the <em>db/db</em> mice showed more severe gross and microscopic lesions than did WT mice. No gross or microscopic lesions were observed in the right thigh of any mice. No significant differences were noted in <em>C. perfringens</em> numbers recovered from the left thigh of <em>db/db vs</em> WT mice at any challenge inoculum. After a 2 h challenge, RT-qPCR detected more expression of genes encoding alpha toxin and perfringolysin O in the <em>db/db</em> than in WT mice.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>This study supports the usefulness of <em>db/db</em> mice to study <em>C. perfringens</em> gas gangrene pathogenesis in diabetics. It also suggests that higher BCAA and glucose levels and/or stronger upregulation of toxin production in <em>db/db</em> mice may be factors that help cause the development of more severe lesions during the early stages of gas gangrene in the <em>db/db</em> mice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":"98 ","pages":"Article 103050"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147832669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The clinical significance of real-time PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values in Clostridioides difficile infection","authors":"Mediha Ugur ,&nbsp;Sinan Cetin","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div><em>Clostridioides difficile</em> infection (CDI) is a common gastrointestinal infection associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly following antibiotic use. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based diagnostic methods are widely used, and the evaluation of cycle threshold (Ct) values as an additional marker for predicting clinical severity has gained increasing interest. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of PCR Ct values in distinguishing severe from non-severe CDI when evaluated together with clinical and demographic characteristics.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this retrospective study, adult patients (≥18 years) with <em>C. difficile</em> (<em>tcd</em>A/<em>tcd</em>B) detected by the QIAstat-Dx® GI2 Panel (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany) between January 2024 and December 2025 were evaluated. Ct values were analyzed together with clinical and demographic data, and risk factors for severe CDI were assessed using logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of the 80 patients with CDI, 38.7% were classified as having severe CDI. Ct values were significantly lower in the severe CDI group compared with the non-severe group (28.1 ± 3.6 vs. 30.8 ± 3.1; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). In multivariable analysis, Ct value and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were identified as independent risk factors for severe CDI. Each one-unit increase in Ct value was associated with a 20.5% reduction in the risk of severe CDI, while each one-point increase in CCI approximately doubled this risk.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In conclusion, PCR Ct values, when interpreted together with comorbidity burden, may be a useful tool for predicting severe CDI and may contribute to clinical decision-making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":"98 ","pages":"Article 103049"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147760320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of replacing two non-lytic anaerobic blood culture flasks with one lytic flask on anaerobic bacterial recovery during a concurrent change in blood culture system","authors":"Magnus Laursen ,&nbsp;Jenny Dahl Knudsen ,&nbsp;Dennis Schrøder Hansen ,&nbsp;Michael Pedersen ,&nbsp;Valeria Antsupova ,&nbsp;Helle Krogh Johansen ,&nbsp;Magnus Glindvad Ahlström","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103053","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103053","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Bloodstream infections are a major contributor to global mortality and demand fast and accurate pathogen identification. This study examined the impact of replacing two non-lytic anaerobic flasks with one lytic anaerobic flask on recovery of and time-to-detection (TTD) for anaerobic bacteria.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>We carried out a cohort study including all blood culture flasks from patients aged 18 years and older in the Capital Region of Denmark. In 2018 a blood culture set consisted of two aerobic and two anaerobic flasks. This was changed to two aerobic flasks, one anaerobic lytic flask, and one mycosis flask in 2020. For comparison, we analyzed TTD in the two time periods and examined differences between blood culturing system (BacT/Alert™ vs. BACTEC™).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We included 175,118 unique blood culture sets from 104,519 individual patients. Overall, we observed an increase in the recovery of anaerobic bacteria and a shorter TTD, difference at 100 h: 0.11% (p &lt; 0.001) in 2020 compared with 2018. These improvements were largely attributable to hospitals that transitioned from the BacT/Alert™ system to the BACTEC™ system (p &lt; 0.001), whereas hospitals already using BACTEC™ in both periods showed only a marginal, non-significant increase in recovery of anaerobic bacteria when analyzed per blood culture set.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>We did not find evidence of reduced sensitivity of detecting anaerobic bacteria by shifting to a single lytic anaerobic flask. These findings support maintaining the current configuration of one lytic anaerobic flask.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":"98 ","pages":"Article 103053"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148004210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Botulinum neurotoxins: A distinct subclass of SNARE-Cleaving endopeptidases","authors":"Sabine Pellett","doi":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103035","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.anaerobe.2026.103035","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are bacterial protein toxins that cause the severe and potentially fatal neuro-paralytic disease botulism in humans and vertebrate animals. Together with tetanus toxin (TeNT), BoNTs comprise the large family of clostridial neurotoxins (CNTs). Structurally, CNTs share conserved features: a 50 kDa zinc-dependent light chain endopeptidase with an HExxH motif linked via a disulfide bond to a 100 kDa heavy chain with distinct domains for translocation and receptor binding that mediate neuronal specificity. During the last decade, genomic analyses have uncovered <em>bont</em>-like genes in non-clostridial species including as <em>Weissella oryzae</em>, <em>Enterococcus faecium</em>, <em>Paeniclostridium ghonii</em>, <em>Chryseobacterium piperi, Paraclostridium bifermentans,</em> and <em>Bacillus</em> <em>toyonensis</em>. The BoNT-like proteins encoded by these genes retain SNARE-cleaving activity and share structural motifs with BoNTs, yet studies during the last decade have shown they exhibit minimal toxicity in vertebrate systems and form phylogenetically distinct clades, suggesting alternative ecological roles. Growing evidence suggests insects as the target of BoNT-like proteins. The expanding repertoire of BoNT-like proteins with conserved architecture and enzymatic function supports the classification of BoNTs as a distinct sub-family within a broader super-family of SNARE-cleaving endopeptidases. We propose the designation SNACLEs (SNARE-Cleaving-Endopeptidases) for this protein super-family, with CNTs and BoNT-like proteins as a distinct families.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8050,"journal":{"name":"Anaerobe","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 103035"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147343532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}