Characteristics of a sporulation stimulating factor from Clostridium perfringens type A.

A product in the culture supernatant fluid of Clostridium perfringens NCTC 8239 stimulated the sporulation of a test strain, NCTC 8679, of the same organism. The responsible factor, termed sporulation factor (SF), was present in seven cultures of Cl. perfringens grown in either a defined or complex medium. The SF reversed glucose-mediated catabolite repression of sporulation by this organism. Preliminary characterization of the SF demonstrated a resistance to elevated temperatures and proteases and a molecular weight of less than 500 Da. The known association of Cl. perfringens enterotoxin with sporulation highlights the importance of interactions between strains of this organism as may occur in the human intestine during foodborne illness.