Identification of outer membrane proteins of Yersinia pestis through biotinylation

The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria contains proteins that might be good targets for vaccines, antimicrobials or detection systems. The identification of surface located proteins using traditional methods is often difficult. Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, was labelled with biotin. Tagged proteins were visualised through streptavidin probing of Western blots. Seven biotinylated proteins of Y. pestis were identified including two porins and the putative virulence factor catalase peroxidase.