Complete and variant forms of the ‘gonococcal genetic island’ in Neisseria meningitidis

Abstract

Comparative genome hybridization using the pan-Neisseriamicroarray identified genes from the gonococcal genetic island (GGI) withinNeisseria meningitidisstrains of serogroups W-135, H, and Z. While some of these strains contain nearly all of the genes of the GGI, there are differences in the presence of some of these genes between the strains, including between those of the same serogroup. Attempts were then made to determine the location of the GGI in these meningococci. Sequencing ofNeisseria gonorrhoeaestrain MS11 revealed that the GGI is a conjugative plasmid that can be chromosomally integrated at thedifsites nearungand can also be present in its circularized form. InN. meningitidis, adifsite is present in this location and also serves as the point of chromosomal integration of the GGI in this species.