Biomaterial Database

Lactobacillus jensenii surface-associated proteins inhibit Neisseria gonorrhoeae adherence to epithelial cells. 2010

Rachel R Spurbeck, and Cindy Grove Arvidson

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1101, USA.

High numbers of lactobacilli in the vaginal tract have been correlated with a decreased risk of infection by the sexually transmitted pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae. We have previously shown that Lactobacillus jensenii, one of the most prevalent microorganisms in the healthy human vaginal tract, can inhibit gonococcal adherence to epithelial cells in culture. Here we examined the role of the epithelial cells and the components of L. jensenii involved in the inhibition of gonococcal adherence. L. jensenii inhibited the adherence of gonococci to glutaraldehyde-fixed epithelial cells like it inhibited the adherence of gonococci to live epithelial cells, suggesting that the epithelial cells do not need to be metabolically active for the inhibition to occur. In addition, methanol-fixed L. jensenii inhibited gonococcal adherence to live epithelial cells, indicating that L. jensenii uses a constitutive component to inhibit gonococcal interactions with epithelial cells. Proteinase K treatment of methanol-fixed lactobacilli eliminated the inhibitory effect, suggesting that the inhibitory component contains protein. Released surface components (RSC) isolated from L. jensenii were found to contain at least two inhibitory components, both of which are protease sensitive. Using anion-exchange and size exclusion chromatography, an inhibitory protein which exhibits significant similarity to the enzyme enolase was isolated. A recombinant His6-tagged version of this protein was subsequently produced and shown to inhibit gonococcal adherence to epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007778	Lactobacillus	A genus of gram-positive, microaerophilic, rod-shaped bacteria occurring widely in nature. Its species are also part of the many normal flora of the mouth, intestinal tract, and vagina of many mammals, including humans. Lactobacillus species are homofermentative and ferment a broad spectrum of carbohydrates often host-adapted but do not ferment PENTOSES. Most members were previously assigned to the Lactobacillus delbrueckii group. Pathogenicity from this genus is rare.
D009344	Neisseria gonorrhoeae	A species of gram-negative, aerobic bacteria primarily found in purulent venereal discharges. It is the causative agent of GONORRHEA.	Diplococcus gonorrhoeae,Gonococcus,Gonococcus neisseri,Merismopedia gonorrhoeae,Micrococcus der gonorrhoe,Micrococcus gonococcus,Micrococcus gonorrhoeae
D010751	Phosphopyruvate Hydratase	A hydro-lyase that catalyzes the dehydration of 2-phosphoglycerate to form PHOSPHOENOLPYRUVATE. Several different isoforms of this enzyme exist, each with its own tissue specificity.	Enolase,Neuron-Specific Enolase,2-Phospho-D-Glycerate Hydro-Lyase,2-Phospho-D-Glycerate Hydrolase,2-Phosphoglycerate Dehydratase,Enolase 2,Enolase 3,Muscle-Specific Enolase,Nervous System-Specific Enolase,Non-Neuronal Enolase,alpha-Enolase,beta-Enolase,gamma-Enolase,2 Phospho D Glycerate Hydro Lyase,2 Phospho D Glycerate Hydrolase,2 Phosphoglycerate Dehydratase,Dehydratase, 2-Phosphoglycerate,Enolase, Muscle-Specific,Enolase, Nervous System-Specific,Enolase, Neuron-Specific,Enolase, Non-Neuronal,Hydratase, Phosphopyruvate,Hydro-Lyase, 2-Phospho-D-Glycerate,Muscle Specific Enolase,Nervous System Specific Enolase,Neuron Specific Enolase,Non Neuronal Enolase,System-Specific Enolase, Nervous,alpha Enolase,beta Enolase,gamma Enolase
D002460	Cell Line	Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely.	Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D002852	Chromatography, Ion Exchange	Separation technique in which the stationary phase consists of ion exchange resins. The resins contain loosely held small ions that easily exchange places with other small ions of like charge present in solutions washed over the resins.	Chromatography, Ion-Exchange,Ion-Exchange Chromatography,Chromatographies, Ion Exchange,Chromatographies, Ion-Exchange,Ion Exchange Chromatographies,Ion Exchange Chromatography,Ion-Exchange Chromatographies
D004717	Endometrium	The mucous membrane lining of the uterine cavity that is hormonally responsive during the MENSTRUAL CYCLE and PREGNANCY. The endometrium undergoes cyclic changes that characterize MENSTRUATION. After successful FERTILIZATION, it serves to sustain the developing embryo.	Endometria
D004848	Epithelium	The layers of EPITHELIAL CELLS which cover the inner and outer surfaces of the cutaneous, mucus, and serous tissues and glands of the body.	Mesothelium,Epithelial Tissue,Mesothelial Tissue,Epithelial Tissues,Mesothelial Tissues,Tissue, Epithelial,Tissue, Mesothelial,Tissues, Epithelial,Tissues, Mesothelial
D005260	Female		Females
D005798	Genes, Bacterial	The functional hereditary units of BACTERIA.	Bacterial Gene,Bacterial Genes,Gene, Bacterial
D006069	Gonorrhea	Acute infectious disease characterized by primary invasion of the urogenital tract. The etiologic agent, NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE, was isolated by Neisser in 1879.	Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infection