title: Characterization of Aeromonas salmonicida variants with altered cell surfaces and their use in studying surface protein assembly.
abstract: Aeromonas salmonicida variants were characterized for alterations in their cell surface structure and used to examine reconstitution of the surface protein layer (A-layer). Variants lacking outer membrane O-polysaccharide were devoid of A-layer and excreted stainable floret-like material of the surface protein (A-protein). One variant, showing partial loss of O-polysaccharide, was associated with a disrupted A-layer and excretion of some A-protein. Variants lacking A-protein but possessing O-polysaccharide rapidly absorbed and concentrated sufficient excreted A-protein at the cell surface to coat the cells with a single confluent layer. Although differences in electrophoretic mobilities of A-proteins and O-polysaccharides from "typical" and "atypical" strains were evident, the different A-proteins and A-protein-deficient variants were interchangeable for reconstitution of a surface protein layer. No association of A-protein with cell surfaces of unrelated gram-negative bacteria was observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lynch
mesh_terms: D000333:Aeromonas / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012487:Salmonidae
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins