However, prior to the current work, only one study had addressed C. perfringens vegetative cell adherence to the mammalian intestinal epithelium, despite the likely importance of this process for pathogenesis; that earlier study suggested a putative C. perfringens collagen adhesion protein (CNA) might contribute to porcine enteritis by promoting adhesion of this bacterium to damaged intestinal tissue [27]. The gene discussed is PPP3CA; the disease is enteritis.