Transcellular passage of Neisseria gonorrhoeae involves pilus phase variation

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D Ilver1, H Källström, S Normark

  • 1Microbiology and Tumorbiology Center, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Infection and Immunity
|February 7, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Neisseria gonorrhoeae uses pili for adherence, but passage through epithelial cells selects for nonpiliated bacteria. This suggests pilin sequence variation aids Neisseria gonorrhoeae transmigration.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae utilizes pili for host cell adherence, a crucial step in infection.
  • Pilus production and function involve key proteins like PilE (subunit) and PilC (biogenesis).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of pilus expression and associated proteins in Neisseria gonorrhoeae passage through an epithelial cell layer.
  • To determine if bacterial genetic alterations occur during transmigration.

Main Methods:

  • Confluent HEC-1-B cell layers on Transwell-COL membranes were inoculated with piliated and nonpiliated Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
  • Bacteria transmigrating to the lower chamber were collected and analyzed for pili, PilE, and PilC expression.
  • Genetic analysis of the pilE gene in transmigrant strains was performed.

Main Results:

  • Predominantly nonpiliated Neisseria gonorrhoeae were recovered after passage, despite starting with >99% piliated bacteria.
  • Recovered nonpiliated clones often lacked PilC production but retained unassembled PilE protein.
  • Deletion of the pilE gene 5' end reduced bacterial release, and recA mutant bacteria showed impaired transmigration compared to recA+.

Conclusions:

  • Bacteria expressing unassembled PilE protein are selected during passage through epithelial cell layers.
  • Alterations in the pilE gene sequence in transmigrant bacteria suggest pilin sequence variation is important for Neisseria gonorrhoeae transmigration.

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