Ultrastructural localization of capsules, cell wall polysaccharide, cell wall proteins, and F antigen in pneumococci

The localization of pneumococcal capsular and cell wall antigens was examined by immunoelectron microscopy. C polysaccharide (C-Ps), a common component of all pneumococci, was uniformly distributed on both the inside and outside of the cell walls. The thickness of the C-Ps varied with the strain. Encapsulated strains were covered by varied amounts of capsular polysaccharide concealing the C-Ps of the bacteria so as to render it inaccessible to anti-C-Ps antibodies. In addition to C-Ps, protein antigens were demonstrable on the surface of nonencapsulated pneumococci. The proteins were not masked by the C-Ps layer. An extra layer on the cell walls was conspicuous on electron micrographs of both rough and encapsulated pneumococci. The nature of this extra layer has not been disclosed. F antigen, another common antigen of pneumococci, was uniformly distributed on the surface of the plasma membranes. During the course of the experimental work a reproducible method of gold labeling immunoglobulins was developed.