Ng-MIP, a surface-exposed lipoprotein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, has a peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase) activity and is involved in persistence in macrophages.
Macrophage infectivity potentiators (MIPs) are a family of surface-exposed virulence factors of intracellular microorganisms such as Legionella, Chlamydia and Trypanosoma. These proteins display peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase) activity that is inhibited by immunosuppressants FK506 and rapamycin. Here we describe the identification and characterization in Neisseria gonorrhoeae of Ng-MIP, a surface-exposed lipoprotein with high homology to MIPs. The protein is an homodimer with rapamycin-inhibited PPIase activity confirming that it is a functional member of the MIP family. A knock-out strain, generated by deletion of the mip gene in N. gonorrhoeae F62 strain, was evaluated for its role in infection of mouse and human macrophages. We show that Ng-MIP promotes the intracellular survival of N. gonorrhoeae in macrophages, highlighting a possible role of this protein in promoting the persistence of gonococcal infection.
Leuzzi
Rosanna
R
IRIS, Chiron S.r.l., Via Fiorentina, 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Serino
Laura
L
Scarselli
Maria
M
Savino
Silvana
S
Fontana
Maria Rita
MR
Monaci
Elisabetta
E
Taddei
Annarita
A
Fischer
Gunter
G
Rappuoli
Rino
R
Pizza
Mariagrazia
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019281:Dimerization; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D020104:Immunophilins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D019696:Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000378:metabolism
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D020104:Immunophilins; D019696:Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; D020123:Sirolimus