scholarly journals Identification of Regions of the Chromosome of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Which Are Specific to the Pathogenic Neisseria Species

1999 ◽  
Vol 67 (11) ◽  
pp. 6119-6129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnes Perrin ◽  
Xavier Nassif ◽  
Colin Tinsley
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Immunoglobulin A ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Neisseria Species ◽  
Sequencing Project ◽  
Neisseria Lactamica ◽  
Host Interaction ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
Related Group

ABSTRACT Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae give rise to dramatically different diseases. Their interactions with the host, however, do share common characteristics: they are both human pathogens which do not survive in the environment and which colonize and invade mucosa at their port of entry. It is therefore likely that they have common properties that might not be found in nonpathogenic bacteria belonging to the same genetically related group, such as Neisseria lactamica. Their common properties may be determined by chromosomal regions found only in the pathogenic Neisseria species. To address this issue, we used a previously described technique (C. R. Tinsley and X. Nassif, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:11109–11114, 1996) to identify sequences of DNA specific for pathogenic neisseriae and not found inN. lactamica. Sequences present in N. lactamicawere physically subtracted from the N. meningitidis Z2491 sequence and also from the N. gonorrhoeae FA1090 sequence. The clones obtained from each subtraction were tested by Southern blotting for their reactivity with the three species, and only those which reacted with both N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae (i.e., not specific to either one of the pathogens) were further investigated. In a first step, these clones were mapped onto the chromosomes of both N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae. The majority of the clones were arranged in clusters extending up to 10 kb, suggesting the presence of chromosomal regions common to N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae which distinguish these pathogens from the commensal N. lactamica. The sequences surrounding these clones were determined from the N. meningitidis genome-sequencing project. Several clones corresponded to previously described factors required for colonization and survival at the port of entry, such as immunoglobulin A protease and PilC. Others were homologous to virulence-associated proteins in other bacteria, demonstrating that the subtractive clones are capable of pinpointing chromosomal regions shared by N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae which are involved in common aspects of the host interaction of both pathogens.

Comparison of three methods for identification of pathogenic Neisseria species

1979 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 598-600
Author(s):  
P C Appelbaum ◽  
R B Lawrence
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Incubation Period ◽  
Fluorescent Antibody ◽  
Neisseria Species ◽  
Neisseria Lactamica ◽  
Sugar Degradation ◽  
Agar Method ◽  
Neisseria Sicca

A radiometric procedure was compared with the Minitek and Cystine Trypticase Agar sugar degradation methods for identification of 113 Neisseria species (58 Neisseria meningitidis, 51 Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 2 Neisseria lactamica, 2 Neisseria sicca). Identification of meningococci and gonococci was confirmed by agglutination and fluorescent antibody techniques, respectively. The Minitek method identified 97% of meningococci, 92% of gonococci, and 100% of other Neisseria after 4 h of incubation. The radiometric (Bactec) procedure identified 100% of gonococci and 100% of miscellaneous Neisseria after 3 h, but problems were encountered with meningococci: 45% of the later strains yielded index values for fructose between 20 and 28 (recommended negative cut-off point, less than 20), with strongly positive (greater than 100) glucose and maltose and negative o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside reactions in all 58 strains. The Cystine Trypticase Agar method identified 91% of meningococci, 90% of gonococci, and 100% of other Neisseria after 24 to 48 h. Prolongation of the Cystine Trypticase Agar incubation period led to abnormal lactose/sucrose reactions in some meningococci and gonococci. Radiometric and Minitek systems are more accurate and convenient than Cystine Trypticase Agar techniques, but, on the basis of these results, radiometric fructose sensitivity levels for meningococci need reevaluation.

scholarly journals Hen Fluorescein-Labeled Gonococcal Lipopolysaccharide Antibody in the Delayed Fluorescent Antibody Technique for the Confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

1979 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-328
Author(s):  
F. E. Ashton ◽  
R. A. Leitch ◽  
M. B. Perry ◽  
R. Wallace ◽  
B. B. Diena
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Fluorescent Antibody ◽  
Fluorescent Antibody Technique ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Antibody Technique ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Neisseria Lactamica ◽  
Antibody Conjugate

A fluorescent antibody reagent (termed anti-LPS conjugate) was prepared from sera obtained from hens immunized with gonococcal R-type lipopolysaccharide. The reagent was absorbed with Formalin-treated cells of Neisseria meningitidis. The anti-LPS conjugate gave uniform brilliant staining of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with little background fluorescence, thus making interpretation and reading of fluorescence simple. The conjugate did not significantly stain cultures of N. meningitidis, Neisseria lactamica , nonpathogenic Neisseria species, or other gram-negative bacteria. Several preparations of the conjugate provided the same specificity and reproducibility of staining. The anti-LPS conjugate was compared with Difco Laboratories fluorescent antibody conjugate for staining of N. gonorrhoeae. Both conjugates stained cells of the light and dark variants of gonococcal colony types 1 and 2, as well as cells of colony types 3 and 4. When used for the confirmation of N. gonorrhoeae , the anti-LPS and Difco conjugates stained 426 of 431 (98.8%) and 210 of 213 (98.6%) of the gonococcal cultures, respectively. Absorption of the anti-LPS conjugate with R-type lipopolysaccharide removed the staining of gonococci. However, absorption of Difco conjugate with R-type lipopolysaccharide did not remove the staining of gonococci, suggesting that the majority of fluorescein-labeled antibody present in the Difco conjugate is directed to gonococcal cell surface components other than lipopolysaccharide. The results of this study indicate that fluorescein-labeled gonococcal lipopolysaccharide antibody should be a reliable fluorescent antibody reagent for the confirmation of N. gonorrhoeae.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae and neisseria meningitidis: extracellular enzyme cleaves human immunoglobulin A

Science ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 190 (4219) ◽  
pp. 1103-1105 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Plaut ◽  
J. Gilbert ◽  
M. Artenstein ◽  
J. Capra
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Immunoglobulin A ◽  
Extracellular Enzyme ◽  
Human Immunoglobulin

scholarly journals Azurin of Pathogenic Neisseria spp. Is Involved in Defense against Hydrogen Peroxide and Survival within Cervical Epithelial Cells

2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (12) ◽  
pp. 8444-8448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsing-Ju Wu ◽  
Kate L. Seib ◽  
Jennifer L. Edwards ◽  
Michael A. Apicella ◽  
Alastair G. McEwan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Hydrogen Peroxide ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Copper Toxicity ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Cervical Epithelial Cells

ABSTRACT Laz, a lipid-modified azurin of the human pathogens Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis, is involved in defense against oxidative stress and copper toxicity; laz mutant strains are hypersensitive to hydrogen peroxide and copper. The N. gonorrhoeae laz mutant also has decreased survival in an ex vivo primary human ectocervical epithelial assay.

scholarly journals Neisseria gonorrhoeae Crippled Its Peptidoglycan Fragment Permease To Facilitate Toxic Peptidoglycan Monomer Release

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (21) ◽  
pp. 3029-3040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Mun Chan ◽  
Joseph P. Dillard
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Meningococcal Meningitis ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacterial Physiology ◽  
Extracellular Milieu ◽  
Extracellular Environment

ABSTRACTNeisseria gonorrhoeae(gonococci) andNeisseria meningitidis(meningococci) are human pathogens that cause gonorrhea and meningococcal meningitis, respectively. BothN. gonorrhoeaeandN. meningitidisrelease a number of small peptidoglycan (PG) fragments, including proinflammatory PG monomers, althoughN. meningitidisreleases fewer PG monomers. The PG fragments released byN. gonorrhoeaeandN. meningitidisare generated in the periplasm during cell wall remodeling, and a majority of these fragments are transported into the cytoplasm by an inner membrane permease, AmpG; however, a portion of the PG fragments are released into the extracellular environment through unknown mechanisms. We previously reported that the expression of meningococcalampGinN. gonorrhoeaereduced PG monomer release by gonococci. This finding suggested that the efficiency of AmpG-mediated PG fragment recycling regulates the amount of PG fragments released into the extracellular milieu. We determined that three AmpG residues near the C-terminal end of the protein modulate AmpG's efficiency. We also investigated the association between PG fragment recycling and release in two species of human-associated nonpathogenicNeisseria:N. siccaandN. mucosa. BothN. siccaandN. mucosarelease lower levels of PG fragments and are more efficient at recycling PG fragments thanN. gonorrhoeae. Our results suggest thatN. gonorrhoeaehas evolved to increase the amounts of toxic PG fragments released by reducing its PG recycling efficiency.IMPORTANCENeisseria gonorrhoeaeandNeisseria meningitidisare human pathogens that cause highly inflammatory diseases, althoughN. meningitidisis also frequently found as a normal member of the nasopharyngeal microbiota. NonpathogenicNeisseria, such asN. siccaandN. mucosa, also colonize the nasopharynx without causing disease. Although all four species release peptidoglycan fragments,N. gonorrhoeaeis the least efficient at recycling and releases the largest amount of proinflammatory peptidoglycan monomers, partly due to differences in the recycling permease AmpG. Studying the interplay between bacterial physiology (peptidoglycan metabolism) and pathogenesis (release of toxic monomers) leads to an increased understanding of how different bacterial species maintain asymptomatic colonization or cause disease and may contribute to efforts to mitigate disease.

scholarly journals Comparative Genomics Identifies the Genetic Islands That Distinguish Neisseria meningitidis, the Agent of Cerebrospinal Meningitis, from Other Neisseria Species

2002 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 7063-7072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnès Perrin ◽  
Stéphane Bonacorsi ◽  
Etienne Carbonnelle ◽  
Driss Talibi ◽  
Philippe Dessen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Genomics ◽  
Neisseria Meningitidis ◽  
Genetic Basis ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
The Other ◽  
Dna Arrays ◽  
Genomic Comparison ◽  
Neisseria Species ◽  
Neisseria Lactamica ◽  
Virulent Strains

ABSTRACT Neisseria meningitidis colonizes the nasopharynx and, unlike commensal Neisseria species, is capable of entering the bloodstream, crossing the blood-brain barrier, and invading the meninges. The other pathogenic Neisseria species, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, generally causes an infection which is localized to the genitourinary tract. In order to investigate the genetic basis of this difference in disease profiles, we used a strategy of genomic comparison. We used DNA arrays to compare the genome of N. meningitidis with those of N. gonorrhoeae and Neisseria lactamica, a commensal of the nasopharynx. We thus identified sequences conserved among a representative set of virulent strains which are either specific to N. meningitidis or shared with N. gonorrhoeae but absent from N. lactamica. Though these bacteria express dramatically different pathogenicities, these meningococcal sequences were limited and, in contrast to what has been found in other pathogenic bacterial species, they are not organized in large chromosomal islands.

scholarly journals Meningococcal Disease-Associated Prophage-Like Elements Are Present in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Some Commensal Neisseria Species

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 3938-3950
Author(s):  
Barakat A Al Suwayyid ◽  
Leah Rankine-Wilson ◽  
David J Speers ◽  
Michael J Wise ◽  
Geoffrey W Coombs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Meningococcal Disease ◽  
Insertion Site ◽  
Neisseria Species ◽  
Neisseria Lactamica ◽  
Integration Sites ◽  
Colonization Factors ◽  
Reference Genomes ◽  
Restriction Modification ◽  
Commensal Neisseria

Abstract Neisseria spp. possess four genogroups of filamentous prophages, termed Nf1 to 4. A filamentous bacteriophage from the Nf1 genogroup termed meningococcal disease-associated phage (MDA φ) is associated with clonal complexes of Neisseria meningitidis that cause invasive meningococcal disease. Recently, we recovered an isolate of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (ExNg63) from a rare case of gonococcal meningitis, and found that it possessed a region with 90% similarity to Nf1 prophages, specifically, the meningococcal MDA φ. This led to the hypothesis that the Nf1 prophage may be more widely distributed amongst the genus Neisseria. An analysis of 92 reference genomes revealed the presence of intact Nf1 prophages in the commensal species, Neisseria lactamica and Neisseria cinerea in addition to the pathogen N. gonorrhoeae. In N. gonorrhoeae, Nf1 prophages had a restricted distribution but were present in all representatives of MLST ST1918. Of the 160 phage integration sites identified, only one common insertion site was found between one isolate of N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis. There was an absence of any obvious conservation of the receptor for prophage entry, PilE, suggesting that the phage may have been obtained by natural transformation. An examination of the restriction modification systems and mutated mismatch repair systems with prophage presence suggested that there was no obvious preference for these hosts. A timed phylogeny inferred that N. meningitidis was the donor of the Nf1 prophages in N. lactamica and N. gonorrhoeae. Further work is required to determine whether Nf1 prophages are active and can act as accessory colonization factors in these species.

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