Open AccessIdentification and characterisation of a novel conserved outer membrane protein from Neisseria meningitidis
Author(s) -
Peak Ian R.A.,
Srikhanta Yogitha,
Dieckelmann Manuela,
Moxon E.Richard,
Jennings Michael P.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2000.tb01494.x
Subject(s) - biology , neisseria meningitidis , identification (biology) , bacterial outer membrane , conserved sequence , computational biology , peptide sequence , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , bacteria , escherichia coli , ecology , gene
We have identified a homologue of the adhesin AIDA‐I of Escherichia coli in Neisseria meningitidis . This gene was designated nhhA ( N eisseria h ia h omologue), as analysis of the complete coding sequence revealed that it is more closely related to the adhesins Hia and Hsf of Haemophilus influenzae . The sequence of nhhA was determined from 10 strains, and found to be highly conserved. Studies of the localisation by Western immunoblot analysis of total cell proteins and outer membrane complex preparations and by immunogold electron microscopy revealed that NhhA is located in the outer membrane. A strain survey showed that nhhA is present in 85/85 strains of N. meningitidis representative of all the major disease‐associated serogroups, based on Southern blot analysis. It is expressed in the majority of strains tested by Western immunoblot.