title: The immunodominant 90-kilodalton protein is localized on the terminal tip structure of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
abstract: Immunoblot analysis of convalescent-phase sera of experimentally infected chimpanzees or monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to the 90- and 40-kDa proteins of Mycoplasma pneumoniae indicated that both proteins were present in cytadsorbing, pathogenic strains PI-1428, M129, and FH but absent in noncytadsorbing, nonpathogenic strain M129-B176. Adsorption of convalescent-phase chimpanzee sera with virulent strain PI-1428 removed reactivity, whereas adsorption with avirulent strain M129-B176 did not remove reactivity to these two proteins. By using proteolysis and specific MAbs, we demonstrated that the 90- and 40-kDa proteins were surface exposed. Immunoelectron microscopy employing specific MAbs showed that the 90-kDa protein is localized on the terminal tip attachment apparatus. However, the MAb specific for the 40-kDa protein failed to indicate a similar localization. Nevertheless, these data, taken together, indicate that the immunodominant 90- and 40-kDa proteins are surface exposed, are localized on the terminal tip apparatus, and might be involved in the attachment mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mycoplasma, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franzoso
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Barile
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001426:Bacterial Proteins