Corynebacterium diphtheriae

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Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Corynebacterium diphtheriae Gram stain.jpg
Scientific classification
Domain Bacteria
Phylum Actinobacteria
Order Actinomycetales
Family Corynebacteriaceae
Genus Corynebacterium
Species
C. diphtheriae
Binomial name
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
Corynebacterium diphtheriae is the pathogenic bacterium that causes diphtheria.
It is also known as the Klebs-Lffler bacillus, because it was discovered in 1884
by German bacteriologists Edwin Klebs (1834
1912) and Friedrich Lffler (1852
1915
).
Contents
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Classification
Pathogenesis
Sensitivity
Genetics
See also
References
External links

Classification
Four subspecies are recognized C. d. mitis, C. d. intermedius, C. d. gravis, and
C. d. belfanti. The four subspecies differ slightly in their colonial morpholog
y and biochemical properties, such as the ability to metabolize certain nutrient
s, but all may be toxigenic (and therefore cause diphtheria) or not toxigenic. C
. diphtheriae produces diphtheria toxin which alters protein function in the hos
t by inactivating the elongation factor EF-2. This causes pharyngitis and 'pseud
omembrane' in the throat. The diphtheria toxin gene is encoded by a bacteriophag
e found in toxigenic strains, integrated into the bacterial chromosome.
To accurately identify C. diphtheriae, a Gram stain is performed to show Gram-po
sitive, highly pleomorphic organisms with no particular arrangement. Special sta
ins like Alberts's stain and Ponder's stain are used to demonstrate the metachro
matic granules formed in the polar regions. The granules are called as polar gra
nules, Babes Ernst granules, volutin, etc. An enrichment medium, such as Lffler's
medium, is used to preferentially grow C. diphtheriae. After that, a differenti
al plate known as tellurite agar, allows all Corynebacteria (including C. diphth
eriae) to reduce tellurite to metallic tellurium. The tellurite reduction is col
orimetrically indicated by brown colonies for most Cornyebacteria species or by
a black halo around the C. diphtheriae colonies.
A low concentration of iron is required in the medium for toxin production. At h
igh iron concentrations, iron molecules bind to an aporepressor on the beta bact
eriophage, which carries the Tox gene. When bound to iron, the aporepressor shut
s down toxin production.[1] Elek's test for toxogenicity is used to determine wh
ether the organism is able to produce the diphtheria toxin.
Pathogenesis
In areas where diphtheria is endemic, C. diphtheriae in the nasopharyngeal passa
geways is common. Toxigenic strains in susceptible individuals can cause disease

by multiplying and secreting diphtheria toxin into either skin or nasopharyngea

l lesions. The diphtheritic lesion is often covered by a pseudomembrane composed
of fibrin, bacteria, and inflammatory cells. Diphtheria toxin can be proteolyti
cally cleaved into two fragments an N-terminal fragment A (catalytic domain), an
d fragment B (transmembrane and receptor binding domain). Fragment A catalyzes t
he NAD+ -dependent ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor 2, thereby inhibiting p
rotein synthesis in eukaryotic cells. Fragment B binds to the cell surface recep
tor and facilitates the delivery of fragment A to the cytosol.
Sensitivity
The bacterium is sensitive to the majority of antibiotics, such as the penicilli
ns, ampicillin, cephalosporins, quinolones, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, cefu
roxime, and trimethoprim.
Genetics
The genome of C. diphtheriae consists of a single circular chromosome of 2,5 Mbp
, with no plasmids.[2][3] The genome shows an extreme compositional bias, being
noticeably higher in G+C near the origin than at the terminus.
See also
Cutaneous diphtheria
References
Nester, Eugene W.; et al. (2004). Microbiology A Human Perspective (Fourth ed.).
Boston McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-247382-7.
Cerdeo-Trraga, A. M.; Efstratiou, A; Dover, L. G.; Holden, M. T.; Pallen, M; Bentl
ey, S. D.; Besra, G. S.; Churcher, C; James, K. D.; De Zoysa, A; Chillingworth,
T; Cronin, A; Dowd, L; Feltwell, T; Hamlin, N; Holroyd, S; Jagels, K; Moule, S;
Quail, M. A.; Rabbinowitsch, E; Rutherford, K. M.; Thomson, N. R.; Unwin, L; Whi
tehead, S; Barrell, B. G.; Parkhill, J (2003). The complete genome sequence and
analysis of Corynebacterium diphtheriae NCTC13129. Nucleic Acids Research 31 (22
) 6516 23. doi10.1093nargkg874. PMC 275568. PMID 14602910.
Sangal, V; Tucker, N. P.; Burkovski, A; Hoskisson, P. A.
enome sequence of Corynebacterium diphtheriae bv. Mitis NCTC
icant diversity between the primary disease-causing biovars.
logy 194 (12) 3269. doi10.1128JB.00503-12. PMC 3370853. PMID

(2012). The draft g

3529 reveals signif
Journal of Bacterio
22628502.

External links
CoryneRegNet Database of Corynebacterial Transcription Factors and Regulatory
Networks
Corynebacterium diphtheriae genome