Neisseria meningitidis
Though it shares many similarities with the saccharolytic species, "Neisseria flavescens" has a greater genetic relation to pathogenic "Neisseria" species, as molecular studies have shown. In addition, studies implicate that this species plays a role in penicillin-resistant strains of "Neisseria meningitidis". The increasing selective pressure from penicillin treatment has led to "N. meningitidis"' uptake of an altered penicillin-binding protein gene, penA, from "Neisseria flavescens" via transformation. This modified penicillin-binding protein, also known as "mecA", inhibits "Neisseria meningitidis"' transpeptidases from binding to the β-lactam portion of penicillin.