Pilus Antigenic Variation and Protein II Composition in the Outer Membrane of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a Case History of Patient 016

Abstract

In this study several male volunteers were infected with piliated gonococci expressing none of the pH proteins. Urine samples were collected from the patients twice daily until the patient developed clinical symptoms of gonorrhea. The samples from each volunteer were then analyzed in order to characterize how pII expression varied while being present in a human host. Pili were also examined for diferences in molecular weight. My role was to study the reisolated gonococci from patient 016. Pili were examined by epitope mapping, and the sequences of four pilin genes taken from the last urine sample were determined.