Intra-strain heterogeneity of gonococcal pili is related to opacity colony variance.

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Pili were purified from isogenic opacity colony variants that were derived from 14 gonococcal strains. Pili purified from opaque colonies of 1 strain usually differed from pili purified from transparent colonies of the same strain. In 10 of the 14 strains examined, the apparent subunit MW of pili isolated from the opaque variants was larger than that seen with pili obtained from transparent variants. In addition there were demonstrable intra-strain differences in the isoelectric point and buoyant density of pili derived from the opacity variants. Because gonococci express differing opacity phenotypes during the menstrual cycle, the pili of these organisms may alter in vivo.