Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for producing genetically modified plants comprising inoculating a plant, plant cell, plant seed, or plant tissue with an Agrobacterium containing a nucleic acid of interest at an inoculum density of about 10-10,000 CFU/ml; and culturing the Agrobacterium-inoculated plant, plant cell, plant seed, or plant tissue for a period of from 7 days to 28 days, wherein said culturing results in a genetically modified plant, plant cell, plant seed, or plant tissue. Also disclosed are genetically modified plants, plant cells, plant seeds, or plant tissue based on the methods disclosed herein, as well as their progeny, and propagation material related thereto.

Abstract: Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of antibiotic-associated infection in hospitals worldwide. There is a need for a vaccine to Clostridium difficile that can target toxic proteins, or that can elicit adequate immunity to prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection. Modified Clostridium difficile toxin A and B (TcdA and TcdB) proteins are described herein, which comprise mutations that reduce toxin A and B toxicity compared to the native toxin. The proteins described are highly similar to the native toxin of Clostridium difficile, but toxicity is reduced.

Abstract: Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of antibiotic-associated infection in hospitals worldwide. There is a need for a vaccine to Clostridium difficile that can target toxic proteins, or that can elicit adequate immunity to prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection. Modified Clostridium difficile toxin A and B (TcdA and TcdB) proteins are described herein, which comprise mutations that reduce toxin A and B toxicity compared to the native toxin. The proteins described are highly similar to the native toxin of Clostridium difficile, but toxicity is reduced.