Genetic locus (nmp-1) affecting the principal outer membrane protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

An increase in the apparent molecular weight of the principal outer membrane protein (POMP) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is associated with introduction of the penB2 genetic marker, which results in low-level, relatively nonspecific antibiotic resistance. Limited proteolysis of the two forms of POMP showed that they had few if any peptides in common. The nonspecific antibiotic resistance of penB2 was separated from the change in POMP by genetic transformation and by isolation of spontaneous penB mutants that showed no change in POMP. The genetic locus involved in the change from one POMP to another, which we have designated nmp-1, is closely linked to, but not identical with, penB2.