Involvement of P1 Adhesin in Gliding Motility of <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> as Revealed by the Inhibitory Effects of Antibody under Optimized Gliding Conditions

Abstract

To examine the participation of P1 adhesin in gliding of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, we examined the effects of an anti-P1 monoclonal antibody on individual gliding mycoplasmas. The antibody reduced the gliding speed and removed the gliding cells from the glass over time in a concentration-dependent manner but had only a slight effect on nongliding cells, suggesting that the conformational changes of P1 adhesin and its displacement are involved in the gliding mechanism.