Antigenic Variation of Campylobacter Flagella
Abstract
Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of flagella dissociated from strains of Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni belonging to the heat-labile serogroup LIO 8 showed that some strains were capable of producing flagellin subunits of two different molecular weights (M sub r xs), 59,500 and 61,500. Immunoelectron microscopy of cultures of the type strain of this serogroup, C. coli VC167, showed the presence of two flagellum filaments of different antigenic specificity. Epitopes on the surface of one of these flagella bound antibodies in LIO 8 typing antiserum, and Western blotting (immunoblotting) and immunoprecipitation showed that the flagellum was composed of flagellin of M sub r 61,500. The other flagellum antigenic type did not bind LIO 8 antibodies but did possess serospecific epitopes which bound a second polyclonal antiserum, LAH2. This second antigenic flagellum type was composed of the M sub r 59,500 flagellin. Cells producing either of the flagellum antigenic types serotyped as LIO 8, indicating that flagella composed of the M sub r 61, 500 flagellin do not carry the serological determinants for this serogroup. The ability of C. coli VC167 to produce these flagella of different subunit M sub r xs was shown to represent a bidirectional antigenic variation. When measured in culture medium, the phase 1-to-phase 2 transition occurred at a rate of approximately .00002 per cell generation, and the phase 2-to-phase 1 transition occurred at a rate of .0000012 per cell per generation. Reprints.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA197267
Entities
People
- Lori A. Harris
- Patricia Guerry
- Susan M. Logan
- Trevor J. Trust
Organizations
- Naval Medical Research Center