Genome and PCR analysis identified a Campylobacter concisus superantigen homologue associated with active inflammatory bowel disease and a novel plasmid

This project examined the genomes of C. concisus strains isolated from patients with IBD and healthy controls. We found a secreted superantigen homologue, the Csep1 protein, which was encoded by C. concisus chromosome and a novel plasmid pICON. The prevalence of Csep1 proteins and their polymorphisms were shown to be associated with active IBD. Additionally, the novel plasmid pICON was only found in C. concisus strains isolated from relapsed CD patients with previous ileocecal resection.