title: Antigenic structure of surface-exposed regions of the major outer-membrane protein of Chlamydia trachomatis.
abstract: The major outer-membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydia trachomatis displays a number of surface-exposed epitopes. Some of these are shared by all or some of the 15 known serovars, whereas others are serovar-specific. With use of epitope-mapping analysis of limited proteolytic digests of purified MOMPs with monoclonal antibodies, the present study assessed whether the same or different surface-exposed regions of the protein express these different epitopes. Results with both chymotrypsin and the staphylococcal V8 protease for MOMP of serovar F indicated that many of the shared surface epitopes are clustered in one region whereas the serovar-reactive epitope is located in a separate region. Analysis of MOMPs from all the serovars with a species-specific monoclonal antibody indicated that each MOMP possesses a structurally analogous region that expresses this epitope. Such a region might play a role in pathogenic mechanisms that are shared by all serovars.
authors: Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46223.
authors: W J
authors: WJ
authors: Newhall
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D010449:Peptide Mapping; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D010446:Peptide Fragments