title: Polypeptide and antigenic variability among strains of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae demonstrated by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting.
abstract: Comparison of the polypeptide patterns of 22 isolates of M. ovipneumoniae by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed a marked degree of heterogeneity with only limited groupings identifiable. Of the 50 major polypeptides identified in one strain (956/2), 35 were shown to be antigenic using immunoblotting with a homologous polyclonal serum. Radioimmune precipitation of 125I-surface-labelled proteins and phase partition using Triton X-114 detergent indicated that these were membrane associated. Cross-reactivity between the isolates was examined by immunoblotting using one polyclonal serum and four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), all raised against strain 956/2. The polyclonal serum revealed considerable antigenic heterogeneity, but at least nine major antigens were conserved across all isolates. Two MAbs cross-reacted with all 22 strains, but the other two MAbs allowed some differentiation of the strains. One (MO/3) divided the isolates into groups of 16 and 6 based on the presence of absence of a 26-kDa antigen. All strains isolated from sheep with pulmonary adenomatosis fell into the smaller group and did not possess the 26-kDa antigen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of St. Andrews, Fife, Gt. Britain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thirkell
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Spooner
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000940:Antigenic Variation; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D010455:Peptides