Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6512
pubmed:dateCreated
1995-2-17
pubmed:abstractText
Type-4 pilus-mediated adherence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis is considered to be a crucial early event in neisserial infections. In addition to the principal pilus subunit (pilin or PilE), both pathogens produce low quantities of a phase-variable PilC protein which is implicated in pilus biogenesis and pilus-mediated epithelial cell adherence. The identity, however, of the pilus adhesin has remained obscure. Here we describe the isolation of a PilC protein from a gonococcal overproducing strain and demonstrate its specific interaction with human epithelial cells. Our results are consistent with the cell and species tropisms of neisserial infections. Binding of PilC effectively competes with pilus-mediated, but not Opa-mediated, attachment of N. gonorrhoeae and of N. meningitidis, indicating that both pathogens interact with identical or very similar epithelial cell receptors. Immunogold electron microscopy using antisera raised against purified PilC and synthetic peptides locates PilC at the tip of gonococcal pili. PilC thus represents an essential pilus-associated adhesin, providing a rationale for selective protection against neisserial infections.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0028-0836
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
26
pubmed:volume
373
pubmed:geneSymbol
pilC, pilC2
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
357-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Adhesins, Bacterial, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Amino Acid Sequence, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Animals, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Bacterial Adhesion, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Bacterial Proteins, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Base Sequence, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Cells, Cultured, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Cloning, Molecular, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-DNA, Bacterial, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Epithelium, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Fimbriae, Bacterial, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Fimbriae Proteins, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Mice, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Mice, Inbred BALB C, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Molecular Sequence Data, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Neisseria gonorrhoeae, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Neisseria meningitidis, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Protein Binding, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Recombinant Proteins, pubmed-meshheading:7830772-Species Specificity
pubmed:year
1995
pubmed:articleTitle
Neisseria PilC protein identified as type-4 pilus tip-located adhesin.
pubmed:affiliation
Max-Planck-Institut für Biologie, Abteilung Infektionsbiologie, Tübingen, Germany.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't