Identification of Neisseria meningitidis Genetic Loci Involved in the Modulation of Phase Variation Frequencies

Abstract

ABSTRACT It has been proposed that increased phase variation frequencies in Neisseria meningitidis augment transmissibility and invasiveness. A Himar1 mariner transposon mutant library was constructed in serogroup A N. meningitidis and screened for clones with increased phase variation frequencies. Insertions increasing the frequency of slippage events within mononucleotide repeat tracts were identified in three known phase variation-modulating genes ( mutS , mutL , and uvrD ), as well as six additional loci ( pilP , fbpA , fbpB , NMA1233, and two intergenic regions). The implications of these insertion mutations are discussed.