The Conserved Spore Coat Protein SpoVM Is Largely Dispensable in Spore Formation.

The spore-forming bacterial pathogen is a leading cause of health care-associated infections in the United States. In order for this obligate anaerobe to transmit infection, it must form metabolically dormant spores prior to exiting the host. A key step during this process is the assembly of a protective, multilayered proteinaceous coat around the spore.

Inducing and Quantifying Clostridium difficile Spore Formation.

The Gram-positive nosocomial pathogen Clostridium difficile induces sporulation during growth in the gastrointestinal tract. Sporulation is necessary for this obligate anaerobe to form metabolically dormant spores that can resist antibiotic treatment, survive exit from the mammalian host, and transmit C. difficile infections.

SpoIIID-mediated regulation of σK function during Clostridium difficile sporulation.

The spore-forming bacterial pathogen Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of health-care-associated diarrhea worldwide. Although C. difficile spore formation is essential for disease transmission, the regulatory pathways that control this developmental process have only been partially characterized.