However, despite extensive studies of the equivalent protein from meningococci (Brooks et al., 1992; Parsons et al., 2004; Tommassen and Arenas, 2017; Spoerry et al., 2021; Zhigis et al., 2021; Kilian et al., 2022), the role of the gonococcal IgA1 protease in antibody cleavage during infection has not been extensively studied. This evidence concerns the gene IGHA1 and infection.