Neisseria meningitidis undergoes PilC phase variation and PilE sequence variation during invasive disease. 2004

Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Neisseria meningitidis colonizes the upper respiratory tract (URT), enters the blood stream, and reaches the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In the present study, we show that bacteria isolated from the URT adhere better to human epithelial cells, compared with bacteria from blood or CSF, which suggests that important changes of virulence-associated proteins take place during bacterial dissemination. Phase variation in the pilus adhesin PilC and sequence variation in the pilus subunit PilE occurred among strains from 1 patient. Changes were not found in the invasion-associated opacity proteins or in lipooligosaccharides. PilC was frequently expressed in serogroup B strains and in URT strains but was often switched off in other serogroups and in CSF strains. Strains lacking PilC showed impaired adhesion to epithelial cells. These data argue that N. meningitidis undergoes PilC phase variation and PilE sequence variation during invasive disease.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008589 Meningococcal Infections Infections with bacteria of the species NEISSERIA MENINGITIDIS. Meningococcal Septicemia,Infections, Meningococcal,Meningococcal Disease,Infection, Meningococcal,Meningococcal Diseases,Meningococcal Infection,Septicemia, Meningococcal
D008969 Molecular Sequence Data Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories. Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D009345 Neisseria meningitidis A species of gram-negative, aerobic BACTERIA. It is a commensal and pathogen only of humans, and can be carried asymptomatically in the NASOPHARYNX. When found in cerebrospinal fluid it is the causative agent of cerebrospinal meningitis (MENINGITIS, MENINGOCOCCAL). It is also found in venereal discharges and blood. There are at least 13 serogroups based on antigenic differences in the capsular polysaccharides; the ones causing most meningitis infections being A, B, C, Y, and W-135. Each serogroup can be further classified by serotype, serosubtype, and immunotype. Diplokokkus intracellularis meningitidis,Meningococcus,Micrococcus intracellularis,Micrococcus meningitidis,Micrococcus meningitidis cerebrospinalis,Neisseria weichselbaumii
D010861 Fimbriae, Bacterial Thin, hairlike appendages, 1 to 20 microns in length and often occurring in large numbers, present on the cells of gram-negative bacteria, particularly Enterobacteriaceae and Neisseria. Unlike flagella, they do not possess motility, but being protein (pilin) in nature, they possess antigenic and hemagglutinating properties. They are of medical importance because some fimbriae mediate the attachment of bacteria to cells via adhesins (ADHESINS, BACTERIAL). Bacterial fimbriae refer to common pili, to be distinguished from the preferred use of "pili", which is confined to sex pili (PILI, SEX). Bacterial Fimbriae,Bacterial Pili,Common Fimbriae,Common Pili,Pili, Bacterial,Pili, Common,Bacterial Fimbria,Bacterial Pilus,Common Fimbria,Common Pilus,Fimbria, Bacterial,Pilus, Bacterial,Fimbria, Common,Fimbriae, Common,Pilus, Common
D012141 Respiratory Tract Infections Invasion of the host RESPIRATORY SYSTEM by microorganisms, usually leading to pathological processes or diseases. Respiratory System Infections,Upper Respiratory Tract Infection,Upper Respiratory Tract Infections,Infections, Respiratory,Infections, Respiratory Tract,Infections, Upper Respiratory,Infections, Upper Respiratory Tract,Respiratory Infections,Upper Respiratory Infections,Infection, Respiratory System,Infection, Respiratory Tract,Respiratory Infection, Upper,Respiratory System Infection,Respiratory Tract Infection
D004847 Epithelial Cells Cells that line the inner and outer surfaces of the body by forming cellular layers (EPITHELIUM) or masses. Epithelial cells lining the SKIN; the MOUTH; the NOSE; and the ANAL CANAL derive from ectoderm; those lining the RESPIRATORY SYSTEM and the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM derive from endoderm; others (CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM and LYMPHATIC SYSTEM) derive from mesoderm. Epithelial cells can be classified mainly by cell shape and function into squamous, glandular and transitional epithelial cells. Adenomatous Epithelial Cells,Columnar Glandular Epithelial Cells,Cuboidal Glandular Epithelial Cells,Glandular Epithelial Cells,Squamous Cells,Squamous Epithelial Cells,Transitional Epithelial Cells,Adenomatous Epithelial Cell,Cell, Adenomatous Epithelial,Cell, Epithelial,Cell, Glandular Epithelial,Cell, Squamous,Cell, Squamous Epithelial,Cell, Transitional Epithelial,Cells, Adenomatous Epithelial,Cells, Epithelial,Cells, Glandular Epithelial,Cells, Squamous,Cells, Squamous Epithelial,Cells, Transitional Epithelial,Epithelial Cell,Epithelial Cell, Adenomatous,Epithelial Cell, Glandular,Epithelial Cell, Squamous,Epithelial Cell, Transitional,Epithelial Cells, Adenomatous,Epithelial Cells, Glandular,Epithelial Cells, Squamous,Epithelial Cells, Transitional,Glandular Epithelial Cell,Squamous Cell,Squamous Epithelial Cell,Transitional Epithelial Cell
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000595 Amino Acid Sequence The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION. Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D001422 Bacterial Adhesion Physicochemical property of fimbriated (FIMBRIAE, BACTERIAL) and non-fimbriated bacteria of attaching to cells, tissue, and nonbiological surfaces. It is a factor in bacterial colonization and pathogenicity. Adhesion, Bacterial,Adhesions, Bacterial,Bacterial Adhesions
D014644 Genetic Variation Genotypic differences observed among individuals in a population. Genetic Diversity,Variation, Genetic,Diversity, Genetic,Diversities, Genetic,Genetic Diversities,Genetic Variations,Variations, Genetic

Related Publications

Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
April 1999, Journal of bacteriology,
Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
February 1999, Infection and immunity,
Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
September 1998, Infection and immunity,
Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
May 2004, Molecular microbiology,
Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
June 2018, Medicina clinica,
Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
December 2000, Infection and immunity,
Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
August 2003, Molecular microbiology,
Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
May 2001, Molecular microbiology,
Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
October 2009, Journal of microbiology, immunology, and infection = Wei mian yu gan ran za zhi,
Anne Rytkönen, and Barbara Albiger, and Paola Hansson-Palo, and Helena Källström, and Per Olcén, and Hans Fredlund, and Ann-Beth Jonsson
June 2012, Biochemistry and cell biology = Biochimie et biologie cellulaire,
Copied contents to your clipboard!