Gene exchange between Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae

van Hal, SJ; Jenkins, F; Hogan, TR; Ray, S; Kundu, RL; Marshall, HS; Bowden, R; Lahra, MM

Author(s): van Hal, SJ; Jenkins, F; Hogan, TR; Ray, S; Kundu, RL; Marshall, HS; Bowden, R; Lahra, MM;
Journal Title: Microbial Genomics
Publication Type: Jan 19
Abstract: Genetic exchange between Neisseria meningitidis (NM) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) has not been well studied. This study aimed to investigate evidence of genetic exchanges between these two species. All coincident paired NM and NG isolates cultured from pharyngeal swabs collected from a sexual health clinic in Sydney in 2021 underwent whole-genome sequencing. A gene-by-gene analysis of the 47 NM-NG pairs identified 184 instances where the ancestry of the gene revealed intermixing between the two species. Incorporating the gene phylogenies demonstrated that these events occurred across a wide range of timeframes. At the nucleotide level, 91 genes were found where paired isolates harboured identical sequences. Notably, one instance of unequivocal recent gene transfer events between the paired pharynx isolates was observed. This work provides new insights into the evolutionary dynamics of these bacteria and highlights the importance of genetic exchange in populations with high rates of pharyngeal gonorrhoea. The clinical implications of such exchanges call for continued vigilance and research to address the challenges posed by these bacteria.
Publisher: Microbiology Society
Keywords: *Neisseria gonorrhoeae/genetics/isolation & purification/classification; *Neisseria meningitidis/genetics/isolation & purification/classification; Humans; Phylogeny; Whole Genome Sequencing; Gonorrhea/microbiology; *Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Genome, Bacterial; Pharynx/microbiology; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Neisseria meningitidis; antimicrobial resistance; co-carriage; genetic exchange; pan-genome analysis; phylogenetics
Research Division(s): Advanced Technology and Biology
PubMed ID: 41553756
Publisher's Version: https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.001623
Open Access at Publisher's Site: https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.001623
Terms of Use/Rights Notice: Refer to copyright notice on published article.

Creation Date: 2026-01-29 02:00:46

Last Modified: 2026-01-29 02:01:03