Investigating the mechanisms of action of Clostridium difficile proteins Cwp9 and PadR

Investigating the mechanisms of action of Clostridium difficile proteins Cwp9 and PadR

Warwick Medical School

Katie Reilly

2025

Dr Meera Unnikrishnan, Jazzy Hill

Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections, with early colonisation being critical for the establishment of disease. This study investigated the roles of padR and cwp9, both upregulated during early colonisation. Overexpression of padR resulted in a significantly slower doubling time and reduced biofilm formation, suggesting that PadR functions as a transcriptional regulator controlling genes linked to colonisation and bacterial fitness. In contrast, cwp9, predicted to be a cell wall-associated hydrolase, conferred only an initial growth advantage without affecting overall growth or biofilm formation. Understanding the functions of these proteins may inform the development of novel therapeutic strategies to prevent C. difficile colonisation and infection.

Science, Biology, Clostridioides difficile