Lipid-modified surface protein antigens expressing size variation within the species Mycoplasma hyorhinis

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) previously shown to recognize distinct epitopes selectively expressed on the surface of some Mycoplasma hyorhinis strains were used to define two discrete sets of lipid-modified membrane surface proteins showing marked size variation within this species. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis of Triton X-114 phase-fractionated proteins from six isolates of M. hyorhinis defined a set of amphiphilic integral membrane proteins of 23, 50, and 55 kilodaltons (kDa) recognized on respective isolates by one MAb and a second set of integral proteins of 88, 120, and 100 to 150 kDa recognized by another MAb. The first group of proteins all contained a common, amphiphilic 18-kDa limit tryptic polypeptide bearing the epitope. The size- and strain-variant surface antigens identified by the MAbs were shown to be lipid-modified proteins. Phase fractionation of [3H]palmitate-labeled organisms revealed numerous 3H-labeled proteins in all isolates, which partitioned exclusively into the hydrophobic phase. These proteins generally showed pronounced size variation among isolates and included the antigen variants recognized by the two MAbs, as demonstrated directly by immunoprecipitation of correspondingly sized 3H-labeled proteins from each isolate. A third MAb recognized an invariant, lipid-associated surface protein of 70 kDa on all M. hyorhinis isolates. Covalent modification of lipid-associated proteins was confirmed by identifying 3H-labeled methyl palmitate after acid methanolysis of Triton X-114 phase proteins derived from [3H]palmitate-labeled organisms. However, removal of covalently bound lipid from chloroform-methanol-extracted proteins by alkaline hydroxylamine was selective; complete removal was observed with only a few proteins, possibly including the 120-kDa form of one antigen variant. This suggested potential differences in the nature of covalent linkage among lipid-modified M. hyorhinis surface antigens. Intraspecies antigen variants described here in M. hyorhinis share some characteristics with size-variant antigens reported in phylogenetically related gram-positive eubacteria and may contribute to phenotypic diversification and differences in pathogenicity of mycoplasmas.