Gonorrhoeae

Once the gonococci gain entrance into the mucous membranes of these areas, they target columnar non-ciliated epithelial cells. Neisseria gonorrhoeae uses a type IV pilus (twitches, forms bundles and able to take up DNA) to anchor itself at the infection site. The pilE gene has been found to be the main factor for adherence to epithelial cells. In a study, missense mutations of the pilE gene revealed altered fiber morphology. PilE mutants had a defect in filament assembly, hence, less adherence to human epithelial cells. In a wild type sample there are significant interconnections of cells, then compared to a sample with a missense PilE polypeptide, we can see reduced interconnections of the cells and filamentous structure. These defects only are expressed when the pilT gene is activated.

Gonorrhea is an infection with the bacteriaum 'Nisseria gohorrhoea (GC) which causes gonorrheal infections "the second most commonly reported communicable disease" and which are "easily treated with appropriate antibiotics, but drug-resistant strains are on the rise." (Cook County Department of Health, nd)

Phylogenetic trees are a useful tool in looking at individuals (Hill et al. 2016). Knowing this, we can look at the evolutionary history of that particular bacteria, and discover how it has evolved. Phylogeny can trace closely related bacterial species to Neisseria gonorrhoeae. From this, we can discover characteristics that have been derived in gonorrhea that differ from the common ancestor of the bacterial species. N. menigitidis and N. lactamica are the closely the evolutionary history of diseases. The bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae was primarily found within infected related bacterial species to N. gonorrhoeae (Bennett 2007). Each pathogen is known to effect humans. Since N. gonorrhoeae have uniformity, the closely related species help to sort out and identify these strains using multilocus sequence typing (Bennett 2007). The uniformity in the strains of gonorrhea suggest they have a fitness that is

There are about 19 million new cases of Sexually Transmitted Infections in the United States each year. There are more than 700, 000 cases of gonorrhea each year and incidents of chlamydia have steadily increased within the past two decades. STI’s are on the rise among the young adults in the United States and evidence suggests that young adults are most at risk due to an increase in sexual activities. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the most common “curable” diseases reported in the US. These widespread incidents have made STI’s an epidemic in the United States.

The bacteria, Yersinia pestis, is encoded with two specific plasmids that aid in the transfer and survival of the bacteria, especially in the wild. Both of these plasmids must be present on the bacteria for full virulence of the organism. The largest of the extrachromosomal elements, with typical strains of ~100 kb, is the Murine toxin plasmid (pFra), a capsule protein. pFra is characterized by two specific factors: FI capsular protein antigen and YMT. The second plasmid, Pesticin plasmid named pPla after the plasminogen activator, happens to be the smallest of the plasmids. The bacteriocin (pesticin;Pst) and the bilanolysin and coagulase activities are found to be connected with one another and aids the former organism of Yersinia in the invasion of "the host from peripheral sites" (Carniel 41). After the bacteria is injected through a bite of the rat flea, Yersinia pestis affects the immune system similar to the bacterial agent, Bacillis anthracis. By having a Type III secretion system, the bacteria are able to find "a means ? to target virulence factors directly at host cells". The common Yersinia encoded plasmid molecule, pYV (or pLcr), found on the bacteria specifically aids in the injection of cytotoxic proteins into the macrophages, preventing the

Acharya, T (2013, June 9). Virulence factors produced by Neisseria meningitidis and their role in pathogenesis Retrieved from

SPI-1 is the best characterized of the SPIs. It is approximately 40 kb in size. SPI-1 is flanked by fhlA and mutS and has G-C content about 42%. SPI-1 contains at least 29 genes, encoding various components protein of a type III secretion system. SPI-1 encodes several effector proteins which mostly involved in invasion of epithelial cells by mediating actin cytoskeletal rearrangement and hence internalization of the bacteria. These effectors were translocated into the host cell by type III secretion system (T3SS), which also encoded on SPI-1. The prg/org and inv/spa operons encode d for the needle complex, whereas the sic/sip operons encoded for the effector proteins and the translocon (SipBCD), a pore-forming structure that embeded in the host cell membrane. In addition, several chaperones are also encoded within SPI-1 and these chaperones protect SPI-1-related proteins

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, commonly known as gonorrhea, is a gram-negative bacteria found in the family Neisseriaceae. This proteobacteria does not form spores, cannot move (have no flagellum), are encapsulated in a bacterial capsule, and are non-acid fast. They are diplococci, found in pairs of round kidney-bean shaped bacteria. They are small, smooth and colourless with flattened sides. These obligate aerobes need oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other nutrient supplementation (usually chocolate agar) to survive. They produce the enzyme β-lactamase, allowing N. gonorrhoeae to resist certain antibiotics. There are 70 known strains of N. gonorrhoeae, and they produce colonies after 18-24 hours of incubation.

My article if from the Washington Post titled “Gonorrhea Is More Dangerous Than Ever As Resistance To Antibiotics Grows,” written by Lena Sun. According to the article, Neisseria Gonorrhoeae is a drug-resistant diplococcal (coffee bean-shaped) bacteria, which causes gonorrhea and is the second most common infectious disease in the United States. This bacteria is only found after sexual contact with an infected person after the bacteria attach to the nonciliated epithelial cells of the fallopian tube, they are surrounded by the microvilli that draw them to the surface of the mucosal cell. The types of sexual or direct contact that it can be transmitted by include oral, anal and vaginal sex.

Gonorrhea is a STD found in the genitals, rectum or throat. Gonorrhea is commonly called the clap. The clap is commonly found in boys and girls around the age 15-24. The clap in men have the symptoms of; swollen testicles, hurts to pee, and discolored discharge. For females is; hurts to urinate, bleeding between periods, and increased discharge during periods. If you have it in the rectum, it hurts to poop. Gonorrhea can only be passed on through sex, but can also be passed on through mother to child. Gonorrhea can be cured within 7

The common organisms transmitted through sexual activities are chlamydia, trichominaisis, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, hepatitis, human papilloma virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. Sites of infection can include oral, genital, and rectal tracts. While some infections may not be cured, all of the common STIs have effective treatments, and early treatments are vital to maintaining the functioning of reproductive systems.

The bacterial capsule which includes serotype specific antibodies has a critical role to play in the virulence of this organism (Smith et al, 2006). The other virulence factors include;

Gonorrhea is caused by the bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhea and affects humans, especially during sexual intercourse. The reservoir for gonorrhea are the male and female reproductive tract, it can also be found in other area of the body including urethra, mouth, eyes and anus. Men who shows no symptoms of urethritis can develop complications later in life and have a higher reservoir rate for the bacteria. Gonorrhea can be transmitted through sexual intercourse through the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus. Furthermore, gonorrhea can also be acquired by the baby from the mother during the delivery of the baby. In addition, re-infection of gonorrhea can occur especially in individual who was previously treated for gonorrhea when they are re-exposed

Pathogenic L. monocytogenes go through an intracellular life cycle involving early escape from the phagocytic vacuole, rapid intracytoplasmic multiplication, bacterially induced actin-based motility, and direct spread to neighboring cells, in which they reinitiate the cycle. The bacterium is first phagocytosed by these cells and secretes a pore-forming toxin called listeriolysin, which allows the bacterium to escape from the phagosome. All virulent strains of L. monocytogenes synthesize and secrete listeriolysin. Phospholipase A and B are other virulence factors that facilitate escape of L. monocytogenes from the phagosome. Once out of the phagosome L. monocytogenes is capable of rapid division in the cytoplasm, evading the immune response and moving throughout the cytoplasm from cell to cell. L. monocytogenes is well known for its ability to propel itself like a rocket through the cell cytoplasm. This is the result of the bacterium’s ability to polymerize actin filaments at its tail end. Actin is arranged in subunits to form microfilaments that are capable of directing cell movement. L. monocytogenes accomplishes cell motility through a virulence factor called ActA that takes advantage of normal actin polymerization going on in the cell. The ActA protein shares sequence homology with a protein called WASP that is found in virtually all eukaryotic cells. WASP is responsible for recognizing and

Gonorrhoea are fastidious gram-negative, facultative, intracellular and typically appear in pairs (diplococci), in the shape of coffee beans. Among various species of Neisseria that colonize humans, only N. gonorrhoeae is clinically important responsible for transmission through sexual contact (Elias J et al., 2011).They are non-motile, aerobic, capnophilic, non-sporulating, possess pilli to adhere the surfaces of mucous membrane of warm blooded hosts (Janda Wet et al., 2007). The type IV pili (Biais N et al., 2008) operate mechanically similar to a grappling hook, which extend and attach to a substrate that signals the pilus to retract, dragging the cell forward. N. gonorrhoeae are able to pull 100,000 times their own weight, and it has been claimed that the pili used to do so is the strongest biological motor.