Skewed genomic variability in strains of the toxigenic bacterial pathogen, Clostridium perfringens

The complete genome sequences of Clostridium perfringens strain ATCC 13124, a gas gangrene isolate and the species type strain, and the enterotoxin-producing food poisoning strain SM101, were determine and compared with the published C. perfringens strain 13 genome. Comparison of the three genomes revealed considerable genomic diversity with >300 unique 'genomic islands' identified, with the majority of these islands unusually clustered on one replichore.