Cell division protein FtsN (NGO1549) (FtsN)

NGO1549, also known as FtsN, is an essential cell division protein in Neisseria gonorrhoeae that serves as a critical component of the bacterial divisome (UniProt Q5F6P5). It is a late-recruited protein that triggers the activation of the cell division machinery and regulates peptidoglycan synthesis at the septum (Zou et al., 2017). Recent immunoproteomic and AI-driven studies have identified NGO1549 as a potent vaccine candidate for the prevention of gonorrhea (PMID: 37882567). Immunization with NGO1549, often in combination with other antigens like NGO0265, induces high titers of bactericidal antibodies that facilitate complement-mediated killing of the pathogen (ASM mBio, 2023). Due to its high conservation across multidrug-resistant gonococcal strains, it is currently being developed as part of a chimeric subunit vaccine to address the global health threat of untreatable gonorrhea (Evaxion Biotech). The protein contains several immunogenic linear epitopes that are recognized by human sera from infected individuals, making it a viable target for antibody-based interventions (PMID: 28723967).

Other names

NGO1549Cell divisome protein FtsNEssential cell division protein FtsNProtein NGO1549

Induction of complement-dependent bactericidal antibodies and reduction of bacterial colonization burden.