A common gene pool for the Neisseria FetA antigen.

International Journal of Medical Microbiology : IJMM
Julia S BennettMartin C J Maiden

Abstract

Meningococcal FetA is an iron-regulated, immunogenic outer membrane protein and vaccine component. The most diverse region of this protein is a previously defined variable region (VR) that has been shown to be immunodominant. In this analysis, a total of 275 Neisseria lactamica isolates, collected during studies of nasopharyngeal bacterial carriage in infants, were examined for the presence of a fetA gene. The fetA VR nucleotide sequence was determined for 217 of these isolates, with fetA apparently absent from 58 isolates, the majority of which belonged to the ST-624 clonal complex. The VR in N. lactamica was compared to the same region in N. meningitidis, N. gonorrhoeae, and a number of other commensal Neisseria. Identical fetA variable region sequences were identified among commensal and pathogenic Neisseria, suggesting a common gene pool, differing from other antigens in this respect. Carriage of commensal Neisseria species, such as N. lactamica, that express FetA may be involved in the development of natural immunity to meningococcal disease.

Citations

Aug 31, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Caroline O BuckeeSunetra Gupta
Jun 28, 2013·Clinical and Vaccine Immunology : CVI·Jay LucidarmeRay Borrow
Oct 5, 2012·Journal of Clinical Microbiology·Paul A KristiansenDominique A Caugant
Jun 14, 2013·MBio·Alessandro MuzziClaudio Donati
Mar 29, 2016·The Journal of Infection·Kanny DialloMartin C J Maiden
Sep 5, 2009·Microbiology·Carina BrehonyMartin C J Maiden
Sep 24, 2016·Future Microbiology·Eleanor R WatkinsSunetra Gupta

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