Neisserial pilin genes display extensive interspecies diversity.
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.
Aho
Ellen L
EL
Department of Biology, Concordia College, 901 South 8th Street, Moorhead, MN 56562, USA. aho@cord.edu
Urwin
Rachel
R
Batcheller
April E
AE
Holmgren
Alicia M
AM
Havig
Kelly
K
Kulakoski
Amy M
AM
Vomhof
Emilie E
EE
Longfors
Nancy S
NS
Erickson
Christopher B
CB
Anderson
Zacchary K
ZK
Dawlaty
Jahan M
JM
Mueller
Joshua J
JJ
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009343:Neisseria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D018933:Pili, Sex / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins