Gonorrhoeae Coat. Antibody

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, also known as Gonococci is a Gram-negative bacteria, requiring nutrient supplementation to survive. The cocci are facultatively intracellular and typically appear in pairs (diplococci). Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a relatively fragile organism, affected by temperature changes, drying, uv light, and other environmental conditions. Strains of N. gonorrhoeae are variable in their cultural requirements so that media containing hemoglobin, NAD, yeast extract and other supplements are needed for isolation and growth of the organism. Neisserial LPS is distinguished from enteric LPS by its highly-branched basal oligosaccharide structure and the absence of repeating O-antigen subunits. For the mentioned above, neisserial LPS is referred to as lipooligosaccharide. The bacterium characteristically releases outer membrane fragments called "blebs" during growth. These blebs contain LOS and take part in pathogenesis if they are disseminated during the course of an infection.