title: Description and nomenclature of Neisseria meningitidis capsule locus.
abstract: Pathogenic Neisseria meningitidis isolates contain a polysaccharide capsule that is the main virulence determinant for this bacterium. Thirteen capsular polysaccharides have been described, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has enabled determination of the structure of capsular polysaccharides responsible for serogroup specificity. Molecular mechanisms involved in N. meningitidis capsule biosynthesis have also been identified, and genes involved in this process and in cell surface translocation are clustered at a single chromosomal locus termed cps. The use of multiple names for some of the genes involved in capsule synthesis, combined with the need for rapid diagnosis of serogroups commonly associated with invasive meningococcal disease, prompted a requirement for a consistent approach to the nomenclature of capsule genes. In this report, a comprehensive description of all N. meningitidis serogroups is provided, along with a proposed nomenclature, which was presented at the 2012 XVIIIth International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. odile.harrison@zoo.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Odile B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Claus
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Julia S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Holly B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Bratcher
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Jolley
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corton
authors.forename: Rory
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Care
authors.forename: Jan T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Poolman
authors.forename: Wendell D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Zollinger
authors.forename: Carl E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Frasch
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Feavers
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frosch
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parkhill
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Quail
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bentley
authors.forename: Martin C J
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Maiden
mesh_terms: D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D056426:Genetic Loci; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D005810:Multigene Family; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012703:Serotyping; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial
keywords: Neisseria meningitidis; bacteria; capsule; nomenclature; serogroup