Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T23:23:45.088Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The antigens of Mycoplasma hominis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

M. R. Hollingdale
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, Chelsea Bridge Road, London, S. W. 1
Ruth M. Lemcke
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, Chelsea Bridge Road, London, S. W. 1
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A genital strain of Mycoplasma hominis was fractionated by differential centrifugation after disruption of the cells by alternate cycles of freezing and thawing, by gas cavitation under nitrogen, or by ultrasonic treatment.

Antigens of the cell membrane were distinct from those in the soluble cell contents, judging from metabolic inhibition (MI), indirect haemagglutination (IHA), gel-diffusion and immunoelectrophoresis tests, and by the antibody response in rabbits inoculated with these fractions. The antigens which gave rise to MI and IHA antibody were located in the cell membrane.

Extraction of whole cells of M. hominis by various chemical methods suggested that the active components were protein in nature and that there was no lipid hapten, as in M. pneumoniae, or polysaccharide, as in M. mycoides var. mycoides.

This work was partly supported by a Medical Research Council grant, which provided the remuneration of MRH.

We thank Professor R. A. Kekwick and Dr J. M. Creeth of the Biophysics Department of this Institute for their advice on the processing of plasma and density gradient centrifugation, and Mr F. C. Belton of the Microbiological Research Establishment, Porton, Wilts, for growing a 50 litre batch of M. hominis.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

References

Buttery, S. H. & Plackett, P. (1960). A specific polysaccharide from Mycoplasma mycoides. J. gen. Microbiol. 23, 357.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clyde, W. A. (1964). Mycoplasma species identification based upon growth inhibition by specific antisera. J. Immun. 92, 958.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Deeb, B. J. & Kenny, G. E. (1967). Characterization of Mycoplasina pulmonis variants isolated from rabbits. II. Basis for differentiation of antigenic subtypes. J. Bact. 93, 1425.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fulton, F. & Dumbell, K. R. (1949). The serological comparison of strains of influenza virus. J. gen. Microbiol. 3, 97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gierer, A. & Schramm, G. (1956). Die Infektiosität der Nucleinsaure aus Tabakmosaikvirus. Z. Naturf. 11b, 138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harwick, H. J., Iuppa, J. B., Purcell, R. H. & Fekety, F. R. (1967). Mycoplasma hominis septicemia associated with abortion. Am. J. Obstet. Gynec. 99, 725.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Huijsmans-Evers, A. G. & Ruys, A. C. (1956). Microorganisms of the pleuropneumonia group (Family of Mycoplasmataceae) in man. II. Serological identification and discussion of pathogemcity. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 22, 377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, D. M. & Sequeira, P. J. L. (1966). The distribution of complement-fixing antibody and growth-inhibiting antibody to Mycoplasma hominis. J. Hyg., Camb. 64, 441.Google ScholarPubMed
Kenny, G. E. (1967). Heat lability and organic solvent-solubility of mycoplasma antigens. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 143, Art. 1, 676.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kenny, G. E. & Grayston, J. T. (1965). Eaton pleuropneumonia-like organisms (Mycoplasma pneumoniae) complement-fixing antigen. Extraction with organic solvents. J. Immun. 95, 19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, K. S., Clyde, W. A. & Denny, F. W. (1966). Physical properties of human Mycoplasma species. J. Bact. 92, 214.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lemcke, R. M. (1964). The serological differentiation of Mycoplasma strains (pleuropneumonia-like organisms) from various sources. J. Hyg., Camb. 62, 199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lemcke, R. M. (1965). A serological comparison of various species of Mycoplasma by an agar gel double-diffusion technique. J. gen. Microbiol. 38, 91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lemcke, R. M., Plackett, P., Shaw, E. J. & Marmion, B. P. (1968). Immunochemical analysis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. 2. Properties of chloroform—methanol extract from M. pneumoniae. Aust. J. exp. Biol. med. Sci. 46, 123.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A. L. & Randall, R. J. (1951). Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. biol. Chem. 193, 265.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maizels, M. (1944). Processing of plasma with kaolin. Lancet ii, 205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marmion, B. P. (1967). The mycoplasmas: new information on their properties and their pathogenicity for man. In Recent Advances in Medical Microbiology, p. 170. Ed. Waterson, A. P.. London: Churchill.Google Scholar
Marmion, B. P., Plackett, P. & Lemcke, R. M. (1967). Ixnmunochemical analysis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. 1. Methods of extraction and reaction of fractions from M. pneumoniae and from M. mycoides with homologous antisera and with antisera against Streptococcus MG. Aust. J. exp. Biol. med. Sci. 45, 163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGee, Z. A., Rogul, M. & Wittler, R. G. (1967). Molecular genetic studies of relationships among mycoplasma, L-forms and bacteria. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 143, Art. 1, 21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neimark, H. (1967). Heterogeneity among the mycoplasma and relationships to bacteria. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 143, Art. 1, 31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Plackett, P. & Buttery, S. H. (1958). A galactan from Mycoplasma mycoides. Nature, Lond. 182, 1236.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Plackett, P., Buttery, S. H. & Cottew, G. S. (1963). Carbohydrates of some Mycoplasma strains. Recent Prog. Microbiol. 8, 535.Google Scholar
Plackett, P. & Shaw, E. J. (1967). Glucolipids from Mycoplasma laidlawii and Streptococcus MG. Biochem. J. 104, 61 c.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Plackett, P., Marmion, B. P., Shaw, E. J. & Lemcke, R. M. (1969). Immunochemical analysis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. 3. Separation and chemical identification of serologically active lipids. Aust. J. exp. Biol. med. Sci. 47, 171.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pollack, J. D., Razin, S., Pollack, M. E. & Cleverdon, R. C. (1965). Fractionation of mycoplasma cells for enzyme location. Life Sci. 4, 973.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Provost, A., Perreau, P. & Queval, R. (1964). Recherches immunologiques sur la peripneumonie. VIII. Présence possible d'un antigène à activité sérologique Forssman chez Mycoplasma mycoides. Revue Éiév. 17, 15.Google Scholar
Purcell, R. H., Taylor-Robinson, D., Wong, D. C. & Chanock, R. M. (1966). A colour test for the measurement of antibody to the non-acid forming human mycoplasma species Am. J. Epidem. 84, 51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Razin, S. (1963). Osmotic lysis of mycoplasma. J. gen. Microbiol. 33, 471.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SobeslavskÝ, O., Prescott, B., James, W. D. & Chanock, R. M. (1966). Isolation and characterization of fractions of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. II. Antigenicity and immunogenicity. J. Bact. 91, 2126.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SobeslavskÝ, O., Prescott, B., James, W. P. & Chanock, R. M. (1967). Serological and immunogenic activities of different fractions of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 143, Art. 1, 682.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stokes, E. J. (1955). Human infection with pleuropneumonia-like organisms. Lancet i, 276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stokes, E. J. (1959). PPLO in genital infections. Br. med. J. i, 510.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor-Robinson, D., Ludwig, W. M., Purcell, R. H., Mufson, M. A. & Chanock, R. M. (1965). Significance of antibody to Mycoplasma hominis type 1, as measured by indirect haemagglutination. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol., Med. 118, 1073.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tully, J. G., Brown, M. S., Sheagren, J. N., Young, V. M. & Wolff, S. M. (1965). Septicemia due to Mycoplasma hominis type 1. New Engl. J. Med. 273, 648.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tully, J. G. & Smith, L. G. (1968). Postpartum septicemia with Mycoplasma hominis. J. Am. med. Ass. 204, 827.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wallach, D. F. H. & Ullrey, D. (1962). Studies on the surface and cytoplasmic membranes of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. I. The hydrolysis of ATP and related nucleotides by microsomal membranes. Biochim. biophys. Acta 64, 526.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Warnaar, S. O., Knegt, E., Charles, R., Schilperoort, R. A. & Grose, W. J. (1965). The preparation, by alkaline treatment, of a serum-blocking antigen of vaccinia virus with immunizing potency. Arch. gas. Virusforsch. 17, 577.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Westphal, O., Luderitz, O. & Bister, F. (1952). Üher die Extraktion von Bakterien mit Phenol/Wasser. Z. Naturf. 76, 148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, M. H. & Taylor-Robinson, D. (1967). Antigenicity of mycoplasma membranes. Nature, Lond. 215, 973.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed