Effect of mesoporous silica under <it>Neisseria meningitidis </it>transformation process: environmental effects under meningococci transformation

Abstract

Abstract Background This study aimed the use of mesoporous silica under the naturally transformable Neisseria meningitidis, an important pathogen implicated in the genetic horizontal transfer of DNA causing a escape of the principal vaccination measures worldwide by the capsular switching process. This study verified the effects of mesoporous silica under N. meningitidis transformation specifically under the capsular replacement. Methods we used three different mesoporous silica particles to verify their action in N. meningitis transformation frequency. Results we verified the increase in the capsular gene replacement of this bacterium with the three mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Conclusion the mesouporous silica particles were capable of increasing the capsule replacement frequency in N. meningitidis.