Changes in surface hydrophobicity and charge in Neisseria meningitidis and their correlation with the association to phagocytic cells.

Pairwise correlations among surface charge, relative hydrophobicity and association with phagocytes were studied in two strains of Neisseria meningitidis both under normal conditions and after different surface modifying treatments. The variations in the values of the three variables depended on both strains and treatment, and correlations were highly significant, although the biological significance of these correlations is questionable.