Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
09:12
Characterization of Inflammatory Responses During Intranasal Colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae
Published on: January 17, 2014
Multiple gonococcal pilin antigenic variants are produced during experimental human infections
H S Seifert1, C J Wright, A E Jerse
1Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation
|June 1, 1994
Summary
Gonococcal pilin variation allows immune evasion and alters adherence during infection. Multiple pilin variants, including recombinants, emerge, providing a diverse protein repertoire for host defense and transmission.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae`s pilin variation is crucial for immune evasion.
- Pilin variation impacts bacterial adherence and infection dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pilin antigenic variation during gonococcal infection in human volunteers.
- To understand the dynamics and mechanisms of pilin variation in vivo.
Main Methods:
- Human volunteers were inoculated with `Neisseria gonorrhoeae` strain FA1090.
- Pilin variants were sampled and analyzed at multiple time points post-inoculation.
Main Results:
- Pilin variation was observed throughout the infection process.
- Multiple pilin variants were present at each sampled time point.
- Later variants appeared to be recombinants of expressed genes and silent copies.
Conclusions:
- Gonococcal pilin variation provides a large repertoire of proteins to evade immune responses.
- Pilin diversity influences bacterial adherence and function.
- This variation aids in transmission to new hosts.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Fimbriae, Pili, and Axial Filaments
Fimbriae and pili are specialized bacterial surface structures that play pivotal roles in adhesion, genetic exchange, and motility. Composed primarily of pilin protein, these hairlike appendages are crucial for bacterial survival and pathogenicity in various environments.Fimbriae: Adhesion and PathogenicityFimbriae are fine, filamentous structures measuring 2–10 nanometers in diameter and are densely distributed on the bacterial cell surface. They facilitate bacterial adhesion to abiotic...
01:14Atypical Pneumonia
Atypical pneumonia, often caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is a form of pulmonary infection that differs from the classical presentation of bacterial pneumonia in both its cause and clinical symptoms. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pleomorphic bacterium notable for its lack of a rigid cell wall. This structural characteristic imparts resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and significantly influences the bacterium’s behavior within the human host.Other pathogens responsible for the disease include...