Identification of L forms by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis.
Crude membranes were obtained from L forms by allowing the cells to lyse in distilled water. The crude membranes were washed several times in distilled water, lyophilized, and extracted with phenol-acetic acid-water. The membrane proteins were separated electrophoretically in polyacrylamide gels run at pH 4.5. Electrophoretic patterns and densitometric tracings of the gels showed distinct, reproducible intergeneric differences among L forms of Proteus, Streptobacillus, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. Differences within a genus could not be detected except between the group A streptococcal L forms and the one group D F-24 L form. This electrophoretic method offers possibilities for ready identification of L forms through the use of standard reference strains.
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000032:analysis; D003720:Densitometry; D004589:Electrophoresis, Disc; D007740:L Forms / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification*; D008722:Methods; D011511:Proteus / Q000145:classification; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification; D013288:Streptobacillus / Q000145:classification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification
D001426:Bacterial Proteins