# Mechanisms of Gonococcal Pilin Antigenic and Phase Variation

> **NIH NIH R37** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $39,500

## Abstract

Abstract for the MERIT Extension Period (June 2016)
The pathogenic Neisseria are obligate human pathogens that rely on several antigenic
variation systems to continually colonize and cause disease in the human population.
This proposal will continue our studies into the molecular mechanisms used to promote
pilin antigenic variation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. High frequency changes in the pilin
amino acid sequence are mediated by gene conversion reactions between one of 18
silent pilin copies and the single expressed pilin gene. In the next funding period we will
continue to conduct our field-leading investigations into the molecular mechanisms
require to effect high frequency gene conversion within the context of a bacterial
chromosome. The results of these innovative studies will have great impact on the study
of Neisserial pathogenesis, mechanisms of antigenic variation, DNA recombination and
replication, and the role of alternative DNA structures on molecular processes in all cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10116928
- **Project number:** 3R37AI033493-27S1
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Hank S. SEIFERT
- **Activity code:** R37 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $39,500
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-08-18 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10116928

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10116928, Mechanisms of Gonococcal Pilin Antigenic and Phase Variation (3R37AI033493-27S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10116928. Licensed CC0.

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