Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link
Volume 14, Number 4—April 2008
Letter

PorB2/3 Protein Hybrid in Neisseria meningitidis

On This Page
Article Metrics

Cite This Article

To the Editor: Class 2 and class 3 porin (PorB) proteins are the major proteins found in the outer membrane of Neisseria meningitidis (1); they function as porins, allowing the passage of small molecules through the outer membrane. PorB outer membrane proteins are transmembrane proteins with 8 predicted surface-exposed loops (I–VIII), which vary in length and in amino acid sequences. Several sequence analyses of these proteins have shown 4 regions with a high level of amino acid variability in loops I, V, VI, and VII (variable regions [VRs] 1–4) (2). The extensive antigenic variability of these proteins forms the basis of the N. meningitidis serotyping scheme (3,4). These 2 classes of proteins are mutually exclusive, and they are expressed by alternate alleles (porB2 and porB3) at the porB locus (1).

All N. meningitidis strains received in the Spanish Reference Laboratory for Neisseria are routinely serotyped by whole-cell ELISA (5) with a set of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) provided by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (South Mimms, UK) that includes the following serotypes: 1 (MN3C6B), 2a (5D4–5), 2b (MN2C3B), 4 (5DC4C8G8), 14 (MN5C8C), 15 (8B5–5G9), and 21 (6B11F2B5). Those meningococci that appear as nonserotypeable (NT) are analyzed by sequencing the porB gene (6). In the case discussed here, in the sequencing of a NT strain, the porB gene showed an unusual sequence.

This strain, isolated in Spain during 2006, was recovered from the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with meningococcal disease. The porB gene sequence shows VR1–4, which is exclusive of PorB3 protein, and VR2-Eb, VR3–2ab, and VR4-Cc, which are typical of PorB2 (GenBank accession no. EF094023). A comparison of this new sequence with the available porB sequences in the Neisseria.org database (http://neisseria.org/nm/typing/porB) enabled a more detailed analysis of the fragments corresponding to porB3 and porB2 found in this sequence. The fragment from nt 1 to 213 was identical to the porB3–193 allelic variant (VR1–4, VR2-Aa, VR3–7, VR4–14b), and the second part, with nt 233–972 identical to porB2–99 (VR1-Dc, VR2-Eb, VR3–2ab, VR4-Cc). The region of 214–232 nt is identical in the 3 variants. Therefore, this is a true hybrid molecule, which appears to have arisen from recombinational events between porB2–99 and porB3–193 alleles. In fact, this finding has prompted the inclusion of a new family called porB2/3 hybrid in the Neisseria.org database to facilitate the collection of this type of porB sequences.

The most likely origin of the porB2/3 hybrid (4, Eb, 2ab, Cc) is the acquisition of DNA that encodes a VR1–4 sequence by a meningococcus with a porB2–99 allelic variant. It is less likely that DNA encoding the porB VR2-Eb, VR3–2ab, and VR4-Cc sequences was acquired by a meningococcus with the porB3–193 allelic variant because a longer fragment of DNA would have been transferred.

In spite of the presence of a VR1–4, which should be recognized by the set of MAbs used, this strain appeared as NT. A Western blot assay using MAb type 4 showed a good recognition epitope-MAb. Therefore, the failure of MAbs to identify this strain may have been due to the limited accessibility of the epitope because of the alteration of the PorB protein, which might be affecting its conformation. Once again, genetic characterization should be a preferred method over phenotypic characterization for typing meningococcal strains. Molecular characterization of NT strains in other laboratories might clarify the true frequency of this event.

Intragenic recombination between porin genes of the same allelic family is likely occurring in nature because mosaic gene structure has been reported in porB genes. However, porB2/3 recombinants have never been previously found in the nature. Given the known ability of meningococci to be transformed by DNA from other strains, it is surprising that occurrence of genuine porB2/3 hybrids has not yet been documented. There is only a report of naturally occurring gonococci expressing a hybrid porB1a/porB1b (7) (PorB1a and PorB1b gonococcus porins, as in meningococci, are encoded by 2 families of diverged alleles of the porB gene [8]). Gonoccocal strains expressing the recombinant por genes appear to be particularly susceptible to the bactericidal effect of human serum (9). A similar situation might happen in N. meningitidis, with a selective disadvantage in the invasive process of these hybrid strains, explaining the rarity of naturally occurring hybrids. By contrast, mechanisms like this are frequently used by meningococci to avoid the immune response against ordinary antigens. The balance between advantages and disadvantages at this level would show the true implications of this event.

This finding is relevant regardless of its frequency in nature. This report suggests how frequent the recombination events should occur among the meningococcal population: even theoretical mutually exclusive genes can produce hybrid variants; such knowledge is an important step in the development of future vaccines based on protein formulations.

Top

Acknowledgment

This study was partially supported by Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Network for the Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI RD06/0008).

Top

Raquel Abad*, Rocío Enríquez*, Celia Salcedo*, and Julio A. Vázquez*Comments to Author 
Author affiliations: *National Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain;

Top

References

  1. Urwin  R. Nucleotide sequencing of antigen genes of Neisseria meningitidis. In: Pollard AJ, Maiden MCJ, editors. Meningococcal disease: methods and protocols. Totowa (NJ): Humana Press, Inc.; 2001. p. 157–72.
  2. Van der Ley  P, Heckels  JE, Virji  M, Hoogerheut  P, Poolman  JT. Topology of outer membrane porins in pathogenic Neisseria spp. Infect Immun. 1991;59:296371.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. Frasch  CE, Zollinger  WD, Poolman  JT. Serotype antigens of Neisseria meningitidis and proposed scheme for designation of serotypes. Rev Infect Dis. 1985;7:50410.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  4. Sacchi  CT, Lemos  APS, Whitney  AM, Solari  CA, Brant  ME, Melles  CEA, Correlation between serological and sequence analysis of the PorB outer membrane protein in the Neisseria meningitidis serotyping scheme. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. 1998;5:34854.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  5. Abdillahi  H, Poolman  JT. Typing of group-B Neisseria meningitidis with monoclonal antibodies in the whole-cell ELISA. J Med Microbiol. 1988;26:17780.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  6. Abad  R, Alcalá  B, Salcedo  C, Enríquez  R, Uría  MJ, Diez  P, Sequencing of the porB gene: a step toward a true characterization of Neisseria meningitidis. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2006;13:108791. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  7. Cooke  SJ, Jolley  K, Ison  CA, Young  H, Heckels  JE. Naturally occurring isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which display anomalous serovar properties, express PIA/PIB hybrid porins, deletions in PIB or novel PIA molecules. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1998;162:7582. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. Carbonetti  NH, Simnad  VI, Seifert  HS, So  M, Sparling  PF. Genetics protein I of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: construction of hybrid porins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988;85:68415. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  9. Carbonetti  N, Simnad  V, Elkins  C, Sparling  PF. Construction of isogenic gonococci with variable porin structure—effects on susceptibility to human serum and antibiotics. Mol Microbiol. 1990;4:100918. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar

Top

Cite This Article

DOI: 10.3201/eid1404.070869

Related Links

Top

Table of Contents – Volume 14, Number 4—April 2008

EID Search Options
presentation_01 Advanced Article Search – Search articles by author and/or keyword.
presentation_01 Articles by Country Search – Search articles by the topic country.
presentation_01 Article Type Search – Search articles by article type and issue.

Top

Comments

Please use the form below to submit correspondence to the authors or contact them at the following address:

Julio A. Vázquez, Reference Laboratory for Meningococci, Servicio de Bacteriologia, National Centre for Microbiology, National Institute of Health Carlos III, 28220 Majadahonda (Madrid), Spain;

Send To

10000 character(s) remaining.

Top

Page created: July 13, 2010
Page updated: July 13, 2010
Page reviewed: July 13, 2010
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
file_external