Promoter strength influences phase variation of neisserial opa genes

Molecular Microbiology
R J BellandD M Hogan

Abstract

The opa multigene family of Neisseria gonorrhoeae encodes 11 related outer-membrane proteins which phase vary in vitro and in vivo. Illegitimate recombination within direct pentameric DNA repeats, encoding the signal-peptide region of pre-Opas, leads to switches in expression states. Despite the conserved nature of the variation mechanism, specific genes are expressed at high frequencies in the transition from Opa- to Opa+. The genes which are expressed at elevated frequencies differ from the rest of the family with respect to promoter structure, based on sequence comparisons between the opa genes of strain MS11mk. We have analysed transcription of the opa gene family of N. gonorrhoeae MS11mk, focussing on the different promoters found among the 11 genes to determine whether increased levels of expression are associated with increased phase-variation rates. Primer extension and Northern blotting was used to assess the levels of transcription of three representative opa genes (opaA, B and C) in 'on' and 'off' states. Full-length opa mRNA was detected primarily in strains expressing the homologous gene. Truncated opa mRNA was constitutively expressed from all opa genes regardless of their expression state. Quantitative comparison...Continue Reading

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