The effect of iron on the metabolism and pathogenicity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Abstract

Neisseria gonorrhoeae can undergo phenotypic variation in cell surface structure and virulence, depending on the level of available iron in the environment. Studies performed in vitro show that under conditions of iron limitation, gonococci express new outer membrane proteins, and possibly produce siderophores, while an increase in available iron may enhance the lethality of gonococci for chicken embryos and induce resistance to inactivation by serum. These findings suggest that iron metabolism may be important in the pathogenesis of gonococcal infection.

PopNetD3—A Network-Based Web Resource for Exploring Population Structure

“…Similarly, regions of shared ancestry within a subpopulation can point to the source of its unique properties. The samples labeled PID (corresponding to “ Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ”) of the green subpopulation share a region of common ancestry between 1,745 kb and 1,760 kb, which contains two genes related to the uptake of iron, a key factor regulating virulence in N. gonorrhoeae (Johnson 1985). Further investigation into this region may reveal PID-specific disease mechanisms.…”