This project seeks to understand the structure and function in pathogenesis of infection of several iron-regulated outer membrane proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoea. These proteins are located on the surface of the gonococcus, and may be important to development of a vaccine for the gonococcus which is one of the principal goals of the STD CRC. There are four specific aims.
In Aim 1, a molecular mutant of the gonococcal will be created, and this mutant will be used to infect human volunteers in collaboration with investigators in Project 3. This will help to determine, for the first time in any bacterial organism, whether specific ability to utilize human transferrin as a source of iron is required for ability to cause infection. The transferrin-binding proteins are of interest to gonococcal vaccine development and these studies will contribute towards understanding of whether that goal can be achieved. The second specific aim is to understand the regulation and function, as well as vaccine potential, of a major iron-repressed outer membrane protein designated FrpB.
Specific Aim 3 seeks to understand the roles in pathogenesis and in iron uptake of several membrane-associated heme-binding proteins. The fourth specific aim seeks to understand the roles in pathogenesis, including attachment and invasion of epithelial cells in vitro of several proteins that are induced by exposure to iron. These studied will enhance our overall understanding of how iron regulates membrane protein composition in the gonococcus and will contribute to understanding of whether iron-regulated proteins might be useful in a gonococcal vaccine.

Project Start
1997-07-01
Project End
1998-06-30
Budget Start
1996-10-01
Budget End
1997-09-30
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Type
DUNS #
078861598
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
Zhu, Weiyan; Tomberg, Joshua; Knilans, Kayla J et al. (2018) Properly folded and functional PorB from Neisseria gonorrhoeae inhibits dendritic cell stimulation of CD4+ T cell proliferation. J Biol Chem 293:11218-11229
Des Marais, Andrea C; Zhao, Yuqian; Hobbs, Marcia M et al. (2018) Home Self-Collection by Mail to Test for Human Papillomavirus and Sexually Transmitted Infections. Obstet Gynecol 132:1412-1420
Scheidell, Joy D; Beau De Rochars, Valery Madsen; Séraphin, Marie Nancy et al. (2018) Socioeconomic Vulnerability and Sexually Transmitted Infection Among Pregnant Haitian Women. Sex Transm Dis 45:626-631
Knilans, Kayla J; Hackett, Kathleen T; Anderson, James E et al. (2017) Neisseria gonorrhoeae Lytic Transglycosylases LtgA and LtgD Reduce Host Innate Immune Signaling through TLR2 and NOD2. ACS Infect Dis 3:624-633
Gallo, Maria F; Legardy-Williams, Jennifer; Steiner, Markus J et al. (2017) Sexual Relationship Power and Semen Exposure Among Female Patients at a Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic in Kingston, Jamaica. Arch Sex Behav 46:2157-2164
Woolf-King, Sarah E; Muyindike, Winnie; Hobbs, Marcia M et al. (2017) Vaginal Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Is a Useful Biomarker of Semen Exposure Among HIV-Infected Ugandan Women. AIDS Behav 21:2141-2146
Samo, Melissa; Choudhary, Neelima R; Riebe, Kristina J et al. (2016) Immunization with the Haemophilus ducreyi trimeric autotransporter adhesin DsrA with alum, CpG or imiquimod generates a persistent humoral immune response that recognizes the bacterial surface. Vaccine 34:1193-200
Kandler, Justin L; Acevedo, Rosuany Vélez; Dickinson, Mary Kathryne et al. (2016) The genes that encode the gonococcal transferrin binding proteins, TbpB and TbpA, are differentially regulated by MisR under iron-replete and iron-depleted conditions. Mol Microbiol 102:137-51
Kandler, Justin L; Holley, Concerta L; Reimche, Jennifer L et al. (2016) The MisR Response Regulator Is Necessary for Intrinsic Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide and Aminoglycoside Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 60:4690-700
Kissinger, Patricia J; White, Scott; Manhart, Lisa E et al. (2016) Azithromycin Treatment Failure for Chlamydia trachomatis Among Heterosexual Men With Nongonococcal Urethritis. Sex Transm Dis 43:599-602

Showing the most recent 10 out of 131 publications