Transcriptomic, proteomic and functional analysis of the plasmid pCS1-1 during spore formation in Paeniclostridium sordellii

Spore-forming bacteria, and the wide variety of infections they cause, have a devastating impact on human and animal health globally. Plasmid DNA often encodes factors that contribute to severe disease and antibiotic resistance. Little is known about the role of plasmid DNA in the formation of bacterial spores, and no previous studies have investigated this in the class of bacteria known as the Clostridia. Using Paeniclostridium sordellii as a model spore-forming organism, the work within this thesis focused on the toxin-encoding plasmid, pCS1-1, to investigate if plasmid DNA contributes to, or is influenced by, spore formation.