Structural and antigenic differences between two types of meningococcal pili

Diaz, J-L.

doi:10.1016/0378-1097(84)90291-x

Cited by 17 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 2 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…meningitidis are structurally and antigenically related to gonococcal pili (Virji and Heckels, 1983; Diaz et al ., 1984). However, a substantial number of meningococcal strains do not express class I pili, but rather class II pili, which are of a distinctly different antigenic type (Diaz et al ., 1984; Aho et al ., 1997). In the present study, meningococci expressing either class I or class II pili showed high levels of adherence to cultured meningioma cells.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interactions of Neisseria meningitidis with cells of the human meninges

Hardy¹,

Christodoulides²,

Weller

et al. 2000

Molecular Microbiology

110

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SummaryThe interaction of Neisseria meningitidis with the meninges that surround and protect the brain is a pivotal event in the progression of bacterial meningitis. Two models of the human meninges were established in vitro, using (i) sections of fresh human brain and (ii) cultures of viable cells grown from human meningiomas. Neisseria meningitidis showed a specific predilection for binding to the leptomeninges and meningeal blood vessels in human brain and not to the cerebral cortex. There was a close correlation between the adherence of different Neisseria species to leptomeninges and cultured cells. The major ligand that mediated adherence was the pilus, and pilin variation modulated the interactions. The presence of Opa protein increased the association of Cap 1 meningococci that expressed low-adhesive pili, but did not influence the association of high-adhesive pili. In contrast, Opc did not influence the adherence of Cap 1 meningococci, whereas loss of capsule was associated with a more intimate interaction between the bacteria and the meningioma cell that was not apparent with Cap 1 meningococci. There was no evidence of internalization of meningococci by meningioma cells in vitro, an observation that is consistent with the barrier properties of the leptomeninges to N. meningitidis observed in vivo.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interactions of Neisseria meningitidis with cells of the human meninges

Hardy¹,

Christodoulides²,

Weller

et al. 2000

Molecular Microbiology

110

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Inactivation of the pilC gene led to a loss of piliation and abolished adherence to human umbilical vein epithelial cells (HUVEC) cells, although class I pilin could still be detected. The pili of N. meningitidis have been classified based on the reactivity of pilin with the monoclonal antibody SM1 (Diaz et al, 1984;Virji et al, 1989); however, additional antigenic differences must exist in the conserved regions of the class I and class II pilins. However, little is known about the relationship of both pilus classes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

PilC of Neisseria meningitidis is involved in class II pilus formation and restores pilus assembly, natural transformation competence and adherence to epithelial cells in PilC‐deficient gonococci

Ryll

Rudel

Scheuerpflug

et al. 1997

Molecular Microbiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SummaryType 4 pili produced by the pathogenic Neisseria species constitute primary determinants for the adherence to host tissues. In addition to the major pilin subunit (PilE), neisserial pili contain the variable PilC proteins represented by two variant gene copies in most pathogenic Neisseria isolates. Based upon structural differences in the conserved regions of PilE, two pilus classes can be distinguished in Neisseria meningitidis. For class I pili found in both Neisseria gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis, PilC proteins have been implicated in pilus assembly, natural transformation competence and adherence to epithelial cells. In this study, we used primers specific for the pilC2 gene of N. gonorrhoeae strain MS11 to amplify, by the polymerase chain reaction, and clone a homologous pilC gene from N. meningitidis strain A1493 which produces class II pili. This gene was sequenced and the deduced amino acid sequence showed 75.4% and 73.8% identity with the gonococcal PilC1 and PilC2, respectively. These values match the identity value of 74.1% calculated for the two N. gonorrhoeae MS11 PilC proteins, indicating a horizontal relationship between the N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis pilC genes. We provide evidence that PilC functions in meningococcal class II pilus assembly and adherence. Furthermore, expression of the cloned N. meningitidis pilC gene in a gonococcal pilC1,2 mutant restores pilus assembly, adherence to ME-180 epithelial cells, and transformation competence to the wild-type level. Thus, PilC proteins exhibit indistinguishable functions in the context of class I and class II pili.

show abstract

“…Meningococcal and gonococcal pili also are known for their ability to exhibit extensive variability. Isolates of N. meningitidis express one of two structurally distinct classes of type IV pili, termed class I and class II [17]. In addition to this distinction, meningococcal and gonococcal pili display further antigenic differences between strains, as well as phase and antigenic variation within a strain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neisserial pilin genes display extensive interspecies diversity

Aho

Urwin

Batcheller

et al. 2005

FEMS Microbiology Letters

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

All Neisseria live in association with host cells, however, little is known about the genetic potential of nonpathogenic Neisseria species to express attachment factors such as pili. In this study, we demonstrate that type IV pilin-encoding genes are present in a wide range of Neisseria species. N. sicca, N. subflava, and N. elongata each contain two putative pilE genes arranged in tandem, while single genes were identified in N. polysaccharea, N. mucosa, and N. denitrificans. Neisserial pilE genes are highly diverse and display features consistent with a history of horizontal gene transfer.

show abstract

Structural and antigenic differences between two types of meningococcal pili

Cited by 17 publications

References 2 publications

Interactions of Neisseria meningitidis with cells of the human meninges

Interactions of Neisseria meningitidis with cells of the human meninges

PilC of Neisseria meningitidis is involved in class II pilus formation and restores pilus assembly, natural transformation competence and adherence to epithelial cells in PilC‐deficient gonococci

Neisserial pilin genes display extensive interspecies diversity

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About