Investigation of the Basis for Persistent Porin Serotypes of Neisseria Gonorrhoeae in Community Infections
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae porin (por), a major outer membrane protein, has been studied extensively and is the basis of many gonococcal typing schemes. Epidemiological studies which utilize the porin-based typing method called variable region (VR) typing have shown certain VR types of the porB1A allele occur more frequently. We examine the hypothesis that certain porin types give strains a functional advantage. Alternatively, porin may just be a marker of more fit clones. To investigate the issue of clonality, we utilized pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Isolates of the first and second most common VR types fell into a total of six different PFGE clusters, which were > 85% similar in band patterns. From these results, we concluded that a porin-mediated advantage may exist in these strains. The best characterized porin-mediated phenotype that may confer a fitness advantage is the capacity of some porins to mediate resistance to the bactericidal activity of normal human serum. The persistence of certain VR types among P1A strains of various ancestral backgrounds is evidence that certain porins may play an important role in survival or transmission, perhaps due to conferring increased resistance to host complement. An increased understanding of the role of porin in pathogenesis may provide invaluable insight into the success of certain strains within communities and the study of porin as a possible vaccine target.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA459049
Entities
People
- Lotisha E. Garvin
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences