Membrane Proteins of Erwinia carotovora Strains Analyzed by SDS-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

Abstract

SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora strains were compared with those of other plant pathogenic bacteria such as E. c. subsp. atroseptica, E. herbicola pv. milletiae, E. chrysanthemi pv. zeae, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci, P. gladioli pv. gladioli, Xanthomonas campestris pv. glycines, X. c. pv. phaseoli, and X. c. pv. vignicola. Since the 60.2kd peptide band was consistently detected from all E. c. subsp. carotovora strains while not from others, usefulness of this band as taxonomic determinant was suggested. The reaction of membrane proteins extracted from bacterial strains to an anti-E. c. subsp. carotovora N7129 serum was similar to that of whole cell antigen suggesting important roles of membrane proteins as antigen determinants of the bacteria.