title: Putative role of a 70 kDa outer-surface protein in promoting cell-surface hydrophobicity of Serratia marcescens RZ.
abstract: Serratia marcescens RZ has been previously shown to possess pronounced cell-surface hydrophobicity, as evidenced by its affinity for hydrocarbons and polystyrene. The present report suggests the involvement of a 70 kDa protein, serraphobin, in this phenomenon. The 70 kDa protein was recovered from both the cell surface and culture supernatant of hydrophobic wild-type cells, but was either totally absent or present in minor quantities in hydrophobicity-deficient mutants. Similarly, loss of hydrophobicity of RZ cells following growth at 39 degrees C was accompanied by loss of the protein. Serraphobin was capable of binding to hexadecane droplets following a brief mixing procedure, and could be desorbed by solidifying and melting the hexadecane phase.
authors.affiliation: Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bar-Ness
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000502:physiology*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D014867:Water