Chemistry and end-group analysis on purified M protein of type 12 group A streptococcal cell walls

M protein was extracted from the cell walls of streptococci by use of both acidic and alkaline buffers. These extracts were further purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and column chromatography. Both diethylaminoethyl and carboxymethyl celluloses were employed to cover the pH range of 3.0 to 9.0. All of the M proteins isolated were immunologically related, but their physical and chemical properties varied dependent upon the pH range of isolation. Each isolate appeared to be homogeneous on the basis of immunodiffusion analysis, electrophoretic mobility, and ultracentrifugal analysis, but their amino acid analyses differed slightly. Two factors were shared by all isolates: (i) they all reacted with type-specific antisera and (ii) each seemed to have l-lysine as a single N-terminal amino acid.