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Title: Chlamydia trachomatis elementary bodies possess proteins which bind to eucaryotic cell membranes

Journal Article · · J. Bacteriol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6390286

Chlamydia trachomatis proteins were electrophoresed and then transferred to nitrocellulose paper to detect chlamydial proteins which bind to eucaryotic cell membranes. Resolved polypeptides of C. trachomatis serovars J and L/sub 2/ were reacted with iodinated HeLa cell membranes and autoradiographed. Infectious elementary bodies of both serovars possess 31,000- and 18,000-dalton proteins which bind to HeLa cells. In contrast, noninfectious reticulate bodies do not possess eucaryotic cell-binding proteins. Both proteins are antigenic when reacted with hyperimmune rabbit antisera in immunoblots and antisera raised against the 31,000- and 18,000-dalton proteins are inhibitory to chlamydia-host cell association. In addition, these antisera exhibit neutralizing activity. These data suggest that these putative chlamydial adhesions play a key role in the early steps of chlamydia-host cell interaction and that antibody directed against them may be protective.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton
OSTI ID:
6390286
Journal Information:
J. Bacteriol.; (United States), Vol. 165:2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English