Studies on gonococcus infection. XV. Identification of surface proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae correlated with leukocyte association.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae which exhibit high levels of leukocyte association have a surface protein which is considerably diminished in isogenic gonococci which exhibit low levels of leukocyte association (LA). The LA protein exhibits strain variation in molecular weight and immunogenicity. Membranes derived from LA+ and LA- organisms show quantitative differences in their adsorption to leukocytes; these differences are analogous to those found for the intact organisms regarding their association with leukocytes.