Neisseria gonorrhoeae mutants altered in toxicity to human fallopian tubes and molecular characterization of the genetic locus involved.
Infect Immun
; 67(2): 643-52, 1999 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9916071
ABSTRACT
In an effort to identify potential cytotoxins expressed by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, we have identified a locus that, when mutated in the gonococcus, results in a significant increase in toxicity of the strain to human fallopian tube organ cultures (HFTOC). This locus, gly1, contains two open reading frames (ORFs) which are likely cotranscribed. ORF1 encodes a polypeptide of 17.8 kDa with a signal sequence that is recognized and processed in Escherichia coli and N. gonorrhoeae. The 15.6-kDa processed polypeptide has been observed in membrane fractions and filtered spent media from cultures of E. coli expressing gly1 and in outer membrane preparations of wild-type N. gonorrhoeae. The gly1 locus is not essential for bacterial survival, and it does not play a detectable role in epithelial cell adhesion, invasion, or intracellular survival. However, a gly1 null mutant causes much more damage to fallopian tube tissues than its isogenic wild-type parent. A strain complemented in trans for the gly1 mutation showed a level of toxicity to HFTOC similar to the level elicited by the wild-type parent. Taken together, these results indicate an involvement of the gly1 locus in the toxicity of N. gonorrhoeae to human fallopian tubes.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Proteínas de Bactérias
/
Toxinas Bacterianas
/
Citotoxinas
/
Tubas Uterinas
/
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Limite:
Animals
/
Female
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Infect Immun
Ano de publicação:
1999
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos