Colony variants of Neisseria meningitidis strain 2996 (B:2b:P1.2): influence of class-5 outer membrane proteins and lipopolysaccharides.
Different colonial morphologies were found among colonies of Neisseria meningitidis strain 2996 (B:2b:P1.2). Examination of cultures, selected on the basis of colony transparency or opacity, revealed that both lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and class-5 outer membrane proteins (OMP) are associated with differences in colonial morphology. Among 13 variants, four LPS variants and two class-5 OMP variants were recognised. All variants were non-fimbriate. The LPS variations were confirmed by immunoprecipitation. In addition to these qualitative variations of LPS, meningococci synthesise LPS of different molecular size depending upon growth phase; larger LPS molecules were found after analysis of stationary-phase cultures than with exponential-phase cultures. These changes did not cause a change in serotyping characteristics. The recognition in this study of intra-strain heterogeneity of meningococcal LPS and class-5 OMPs is important for the understanding of meningococcal pathogenicity. This heterogeneity was also detected in simultaneous isolates from different sites of a patient.
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D012703:Serotyping
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides