Neisseria gonorrhoeae employs diverse strategies with which to adhere to an
d invade host cells during the course of infection. These primary encounter
s provide means by which biologically active molecules can be efficiently t
argeted to disrupt or exploit normal host cell metabolism and immune respon
se elements, which in turn leads to the pathological responses characterist
ic of gonococcal disease. Current studies have begun to elucidate in detail
the molecular interactions orchestrating these processes and the signaling
events that they provoke.