{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/86173"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/86173","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Characterization of Type IV Pilus System Genes and Their Regulation in Clostridium perfringens","abstract":"Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive (Gr+) anaerobic pathogen that was found to contain Type IV pilus (T4P) system genes within the genomes of all its sequenced strains. T4P are widely used in Gram-negative organisms for aggregation, biofilm formation, adherence, and DNA uptake. Because few examples of T4P-utilizing Gram-positive bacteria are studied to date, we wanted to characterize the T4P system in this Gr+ bacterium. To understand the regulation of T4P genes and therefore better understand their expression, we employed the highly powerful next-generation sequencing tool RNA-seq in a variety of conditions. RNA-seq uncovered previously unknown regulatory mechanisms surrounding T4P genes as well as provided transcriptional information for most of the genes in the C. perfringens strain 13 genome. We also utilized reporter gene assays to look at post-transcriptional regulation of T4P promoters. The wealth of RNA-seq data acted as a jumping-off point for many smaller projects involving transcriptional regulators that may influence T4P expression. We investigated a novel small RNA in close proximity to the major T4P operon, as well as two little-characterized transcriptional regulators that function in the same conditions as T4P genes. RNA-seq also provided data to develop a method for protein purification from C. perfringens without induction.","abstract_html":"Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive (Gr+) anaerobic pathogen that was found to contain Type IV pilus (T4P) system genes within the genomes of all its sequenced strains. T4P are widely used in Gram-negative organisms for aggregation, biofilm formation, adherence, and DNA uptake. Because few examples of T4P-utilizing Gram-positive bacteria are studied to date, we wanted to characterize the T4P system in this Gr+ bacterium. To understand the regulation of T4P genes and therefore better understand their expression, we employed the highly powerful next-generation sequencing tool RNA-seq in a variety of conditions. RNA-seq uncovered previously unknown regulatory mechanisms surrounding T4P genes as well as provided transcriptional information for most of the genes in the C. perfringens strain 13 genome. We also utilized reporter gene assays to look at post-transcriptional regulation of T4P promoters. The wealth of RNA-seq data acted as a jumping-off point for many smaller projects involving transcriptional regulators that may influence T4P expression. We investigated a novel small RNA in close proximity to the major T4P operon, as well as two little-characterized transcriptional regulators that function in the same conditions as T4P genes. RNA-seq also provided data to develop a method for protein purification from C. perfringens without induction.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Murray, Samantha Rose"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Biological Sciences","degree_department":"Biological Sciences","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Melville, Stephen B."],"committee_members":["Caswell, Clayton C.","Stevens, Ann M."],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-06-06","date_published":"2017-06-06","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:56Z","subjects":["Clostridium perfringens","Type IV Pili","gene regulation","RNA sequencing"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:10605"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:10605","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86173","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Melville, Stephen B."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Caswell, Clayton C.","Stevens, Ann M."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Murray, Samantha Rose"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2018-11-29T07:00:58Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-11-29T07:00:58Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2017-06-06"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Clostridium perfringens","Type IV Pili","gene regulation","RNA sequencing"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:10605"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86173"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive (Gr+) anaerobic pathogen that was found to contain Type IV pilus (T4P) system genes within the genomes of all its sequenced strains. T4P are widely used in Gram-negative organisms for aggregation, biofilm formation, adherence, and DNA uptake. Because few examples of T4P-utilizing Gram-positive bacteria are studied to date, we wanted to characterize the T4P system in this Gr+ bacterium. To understand the regulation of T4P genes and therefore better understand their expression, we employed the highly powerful next-generation sequencing tool RNA-seq in a variety of conditions. RNA-seq uncovered previously unknown regulatory mechanisms surrounding T4P genes as well as provided transcriptional information for most of the genes in the C. perfringens strain 13 genome. We also utilized reporter gene assays to look at post-transcriptional regulation of T4P promoters. The wealth of RNA-seq data acted as a jumping-off point for many smaller projects involving transcriptional regulators that may influence T4P expression. We investigated a novel small RNA in close proximity to the major T4P operon, as well as two little-characterized transcriptional regulators that function in the same conditions as T4P genes. RNA-seq also provided data to develop a method for protein purification from C. perfringens without induction."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["Clostridium perfringens is a ubiquitous bacterium that causes many diseases that negatively impact the public, including gas gangrene and food poisoning. This bacterium is able to infect through its ability to adhere to muscle or intestinal cells, and its infection results in breakdown of muscle tissue or severe diarrhea. In order to investigate how this bacterium senses its environment and consequently infects human beings, we looked at which genes the bacteria used in different environments, particularly on solid surfaces and in liquids. We also looked at a profile of different nutrients in order to determine which conditions cause the bacterium to use genes that start the infection process. This study impacts the literature on Clostridium perfringens by highlighting what physical cues signal this bacterium to start infecting, in hopes of disrupting this process and provide relief from C. perfringens infections in the medical community in the future."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Characterization of Type IV Pilus System Genes and Their Regulation in Clostridium perfringens"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Melville, Stephen B."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Caswell, Clayton C.","Stevens, Ann M."],"dc:contributor.department":["Biological Sciences"],"dc:creator":["Murray, Samantha Rose"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2018-11-29T07:00:58Z"],"dc:date.available":["2018-11-29T07:00:58Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2017-06-06"],"dc:description.abstract":["Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive (Gr+) anaerobic pathogen that was found to contain Type IV pilus (T4P) system genes within the genomes of all its sequenced strains. T4P are widely used in Gram-negative organisms for aggregation, biofilm formation, adherence, and DNA uptake. Because few examples of T4P-utilizing Gram-positive bacteria are studied to date, we wanted to characterize the T4P system in this Gr+ bacterium. To understand the regulation of T4P genes and therefore better understand their expression, we employed the highly powerful next-generation sequencing tool RNA-seq in a variety of conditions. RNA-seq uncovered previously unknown regulatory mechanisms surrounding T4P genes as well as provided transcriptional information for most of the genes in the C. perfringens strain 13 genome. We also utilized reporter gene assays to look at post-transcriptional regulation of T4P promoters. The wealth of RNA-seq data acted as a jumping-off point for many smaller projects involving transcriptional regulators that may influence T4P expression. We investigated a novel small RNA in close proximity to the major T4P operon, as well as two little-characterized transcriptional regulators that function in the same conditions as T4P genes. RNA-seq also provided data to develop a method for protein purification from C. perfringens without induction."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["Clostridium perfringens is a ubiquitous bacterium that causes many diseases that negatively impact the public, including gas gangrene and food poisoning. This bacterium is able to infect through its ability to adhere to muscle or intestinal cells, and its infection results in breakdown of muscle tissue or severe diarrhea. In order to investigate how this bacterium senses its environment and consequently infects human beings, we looked at which genes the bacteria used in different environments, particularly on solid surfaces and in liquids. We also looked at a profile of different nutrients in order to determine which conditions cause the bacterium to use genes that start the infection process. This study impacts the literature on Clostridium perfringens by highlighting what physical cues signal this bacterium to start infecting, in hopes of disrupting this process and provide relief from C. perfringens infections in the medical community in the future."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:10605"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86173"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Clostridium perfringens","Type IV Pili","gene regulation","RNA sequencing"],"dc:title":["Characterization of Type IV Pilus System Genes and Their Regulation in Clostridium perfringens"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:56Z"}