Outer membrane complex proteins of<i>Chlamydia pneumoniae</i>

Abstract

The protein composition of the outer membrane complex (OMC) of Chlamydia pneumoniae strain AR-39 was analyzed by metabolic labeling with [35S]methionine and [35S]cysteine. Cysteine-rich proteins with molecular masses of 98, 60 doublet, 39.5 (MOMP) and 15.5 kDa were found in the OMC of C. pneumoniae. The cysteine-rich proteins of the OMCs of the three Chlamydia species showed specific reaction patterns by immunoassay and autoradiography to rabbit or turkey immune sera. Recognition of the MOMP and 60-kDa proteins of the three species was cross-reactive. However, the C. pneumoniae 98-kDa protein was recognized by anti-C. pneumoniae (AR-39) and anti-C. psittaci (TT3) immune sera. None of the immune sera recognized the 12-kDa cysteine-rich complex.