Skip to main content
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1984 Oct;46(1):176–181. doi: 10.1128/iai.46.1.176-181.1984

Anaerobic growth of Neisseria gonorrhoeae coupled to nitrite reduction.

J S Knapp, V L Clark
PMCID: PMC261439  PMID: 6434425

Abstract

A total of 204 Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains, including 39 penicillinase-producing strains, representing 64 distinct auxotype and serovar classes were tested for their ability to grow anaerobically with nitrite as a terminal electron acceptor. All strains grew anaerobically with subtoxic concentrations of nitrite, and all penicillinase-producing strains produced beta-lactamase when grown anaerobically. Nitrite reductase was produced constitutively under aerobic conditions in the absence of nitrite, and cytochrome oxidase was produced constitutively under anaerobic conditions. Strains could not grow anaerobically with sulfite as a terminal electron acceptor. Strain NRL 905 grew anaerobically in broth medium containing nitrite at a rate comparable to its growth rate under aerobic conditions. The feasibility and significance of in vivo anaerobic growth of N. gonorrhoeae is discussed.

Full text

PDF
176

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Berger U. Untersuchungen zur Reduktion von Nitrat und Nitrit durch Neisseria gonorrhoeae und Neisseria meningitidis. Z Med Mikrobiol Immunol. 1970;156(1):86–89. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Catlin B. W. Nutritional profiles of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Neisseria lactamica in chemically defined media and the use of growth requirements for gonococcal typing. J Infect Dis. 1973 Aug;128(2):178–194. doi: 10.1093/infdis/128.2.178. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. James-Holmquest A. N., Wende R. D., Mudd R. L., Williams R. P. Comparison of atmospheric conditions for culture of clinical specimens of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Appl Microbiol. 1973 Oct;26(4):466–469. doi: 10.1128/am.26.4.466-469.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Knapp J. S., Holmes K. K. Disseminated gonococcal infections caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae with unique nutritional requirements. J Infect Dis. 1975 Aug;132(2):204–208. doi: 10.1093/infdis/132.2.204. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Knapp J. S., Totten P. A., Mulks M. H., Minshew B. H. Characterization of Neisseria cinerea, a nonpathogenic species isolated on Martin-Lewis medium selective for pathogenic Neisseria spp. J Clin Microbiol. 1984 Jan;19(1):63–67. doi: 10.1128/jcm.19.1.63-67.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Morse S. A., Stein S., Hines J. Glucose metabolism in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Bacteriol. 1974 Nov;120(2):702–714. doi: 10.1128/jb.120.2.702-714.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Payne W. J. Reduction of nitrogenous oxides by microorganisms. Bacteriol Rev. 1973 Dec;37(4):409–452. doi: 10.1128/br.37.4.409-452.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Payne W. J., Riley P. S., Cox C. D., Jr Separate nitrite, nitric oxide, and nitrous oxide reducing fractions from Pseudomonas perfectomarinus. J Bacteriol. 1971 May;106(2):356–361. doi: 10.1128/jb.106.2.356-361.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Seip W. F., Evans G. L. Atmospheric analysis and redox potentials of culture media in the GasPak System. J Clin Microbiol. 1980 Mar;11(3):226–233. doi: 10.1128/jcm.11.3.226-233.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Short H. B., Clark V. L., Kellogg D. S., Jr, Young F. E. Anaerobic survival of clinical isolates and laboratory strains of Neisseria gonorrhoea: use in transfer and storage. J Clin Microbiol. 1982 May;15(5):915–919. doi: 10.1128/jcm.15.5.915-919.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Tam M. R., Buchanan T. M., Sandström E. G., Holmes K. K., Knapp J. S., Siadak A. W., Nowinski R. C. Serological classification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with monoclonal antibodies. Infect Immun. 1982 Jun;36(3):1042–1053. doi: 10.1128/iai.36.3.1042-1053.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. WHITE L. A., KELLOGG D. S., Jr NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE IDENTIFICATION IN DIRECT SMEARS BY A FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY-COUNTERSTAIN METHOD. Appl Microbiol. 1965 Mar;13:171–174. doi: 10.1128/am.13.2.171-174.1965. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Williams R. P., Wende R. D. "Anaerobic" growth of gonococci, and candle jars. JAMA. 1972 Oct 9;222(2):212–212. doi: 10.1001/jama.222.2.212b. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. YAMANAKA T. IDENTITY OF PSEUDOMONAS CYTOCHROME OXIDASE WITH PSEUDOMONAS NITRITE REDUCTASE. Nature. 1964 Oct 17;204:253–255. doi: 10.1038/204253a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES