scavenges host sialic acid for Siglec-mediated, complement-independent suppression of neutrophil activation.

Unlabelled: Gonorrhea, caused by the bacterium (Gc), is characterized by neutrophilic influx to infection sites. Gc has developed mechanisms to resist killing by neutrophils that include modifications to its surface lipooligosaccharide (LOS). One such LOS modification is sialylation: Gc sialylates its terminal LOS sugars with cytidine-5'-monophosphate--acetylneuraminic acid, which is scavenged from the host using LOS sialyltransferase (Lst) since Gc cannot make its sialic acid.

scavenges host sialic acid for Siglec-mediated, complement-independent suppression of neutrophil activation.

Gonorrhea, caused by the bacterium (Gc), is characterized by neutrophil influx to infection sites. Gc has developed mechanisms to resist killing by neutrophils that include modifications to its surface lipooligosaccharide (LOS). One such LOS modification is sialylation: Gc sialylates its terminal LOS sugars with cytidine-5'-monophosphate--acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NANA) scavenged from the host using LOS sialyltransferase (Lst), since Gc cannot make its own sialic acid.