[Kinetics of sialylation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by radiolabelled cytidine 5'monophospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid].

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Strain A) induces a sialyl-transferase when treated with a very low concentration of cytidine 5'monophospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid, 2 x 10(-3) nmol.ml-1, a concentration which is insufficient to produce an adequate resistance to human serum complement. The sialyl-transferase activity was detected by measurement of fixed 14C radio-labeled sialyl groups. Without this stimulation, there was practically no transfer of sialyl groups. The gonococcal sialyl-transferase could be considered inducible.