Serum resistance of Neisseria meningitidis strains of the ST-41/44 clonal complex is influenced by a homopolymeric adenosine tract in the promotor region of the nspA gene

ABSTRACT: Although usually a harmless colonizer of the human nasopharynx, Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) can spread to the blood stream and cause invasive disease. For survival in blood, N. meningitidis evades the complement system by expression of a polysaccharide capsule and surface proteins sequestering the complement regulator fH. Meningococcal strains are highly diverse and are categorized by their serogroup and multilocus sequence typing. The sequence type 41/44 clonal complex makes up a major proportion of serogroup B meningococcal disease worldwide, but it is also common in asymptomatic carriers. Proteome analysis of a serum resistant isolate from invasive meningococcal disease and two less resistant isolates from healthy carriers identified NspA as the sole protein consistently expressed more abundantly in the invasive isolate. Knock-out of nspA reduced serum resistance, accompanied by stronger deposition of membrane attack complex (C5b9). High or low expression of NspA was associated with sequence variation within a homopolymeric tract located in the -10/-35 region of the nspA promotor: A tract with 5 adenosines dictated low NspA expression, whereas a 6-adenosine motif led to high NspA expression. High levels of NspA correlated with high factor H sequestration onto the bacteria. We could not link the homopolymeric tract length to phase variation, unlike described for other N. meningitidis surface proteins with similar sequence motifs. Epidemiological evidence from carriage and disease isolates indicates that NspA contributes to serum resistance, but is not a prerequisite for invasive disease. Thus, the lineage ST-41/44 meningococcal strains are heterogenous in their NspA expression.

INSTRUMENT(S): LTQ Orbitrap Velos

ORGANISM(S): Neisseria Meningitidis

SUBMITTER: Andreas Otto  

LAB HEAD: Prof. Dr. Becher

PROVIDER: PXD010505 | Pride | 2019-02-28

REPOSITORIES: Pride