Pathogenic Microbiology Commons^™

Characterization Of The Effects Of Iron On Neisseria Gonorrhoeae Surface Protein Modulation And Host Cell Interactions, Aminat Oki

Theses and Dissertations

Iron is an essential nutrient that is sequestered by iron-binding proteins in the human host resulting in a hostile environment for microbes. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, however, can utilize numerous iron-binding proteins such as transferrin and lactoferrin to acquire this nutrient. During initial infection, gonococci have access to transferrin and lactoferrin present in semen and vaginal fluids, as well as to hemoglobin present in blood during menses or disseminated infections. Consequently, the gonococcus likely encounters conditions of high iron at some stages in the course of natural infection. Potential contributions of iron to gonococcal invasion have however been largely over looked in …