Opacity-associated adhesin repertoire in hyperinvasive Neisseria meningitidis.

ABSTRACT: The opacity (Opa) proteins mediate a variety of interactions between the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis and its human host. These interactions are thought to be of central importance in both the asymptomatic colonization of the nasopharynx and the sporadic occurrence of meningococcal disease. The receptor specificities of a limited number of Opa protein variants have been explored, but the high level of amino acid sequence diversity among variants has complicated the assignment of specific roles to individual Opa variants or combinations of variants. In addition, the distribution of Opa protein variants among diverse meningococci, information that is potentially informative for studies of Opa function, is poorly understood. A systematic survey of the genetic diversity in the four opa gen

SUBMITTER: Callaghan MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1594835 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature