Pilus- gonococcal variants. Evidence for multiple forms of piliation control.
Pilus+ to pilus- transitions of gonococci (Gc) that involve rearrangement of pilin gene DNA yield the P-n phenotype, which is incapable of reversion (to pilus+). Reversion to pilus+ is found for nonpiliated Gc that have undergone no apparent pilin gene rearrangement. Among the reverting, nonpiliated Gc, two distinct phenotypes (P-rp- and P-rp+) occur and are differentiated according to their synthesis (or lack) of pilin subunits; both P-rp- and P-rp+ Gc contain pilin-specific mRNA. The occurrence of these different pilus- phenotypes strongly suggests that several mechanisms can account for changes in the piliation status of Gc; one of these involves pilin gene rearrangement but the others apparently operate at posttranscriptional levels. Reverting pilus- Gc may have a pathogenic advantage in being able to reversibly alter their host cell adherence-promoting surface properties through high frequency transitions in piliation status.
Swanson
J
J
Bergström
S
S
Barrera
O
O
Robbins
K
K
Corwin
D
D
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005796:Genes; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010641:Phenotype; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins