ATG5 and clostridium difficile infection: The gene expression of autophagy-related genes such as mTOR, beclin1, light chain 3 (LC3)-II, autophagy-related gene 5 (Atg5), Atg7, Atg9a, and Atg12 were more elevated in the CDI group than in the AKK group (P < 0.05; Figure 4B).