The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 13, Issue 2 291-296, Copyright © 1980 by Society for General Microbiology
Identification of pathogenic neisseriae by genetic transformation
S. K. Sarafian and H. Young
The detection of pathogenic neisseriae by genetic transformation of a
naturally occurring proline auxotroph of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain F62
is described. Of 169 clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae, approximately 90%
gave a positive transformation assay. Twelve clinical isolates of N.
meningitidis and stock cultures of the various meningococcal serogroups
also gave a positive result. However, the sensitivity of the assay was
found to be approximately 1000-fold lower with N. meningitidis as test
organism. Eleven other members of the family Neisseriaceae failed to
transform the recipient organism. Although proline requirement did not
appear to limit the value of the assay greatly, it probably was the main
reason for negative results. The sensitivity of the assay and its ability
to detect non-viable gonococci suggests that this method merits further
investigation as a possible aid to diagnosis of gonococcal infection in
special circumstances.
