A simple method for the isolation of flagella from Treponema Reiter

Flagella from Treponema Reiter were purified from a sonicate of the bacteria by diethylaminoethyl-cellulose chromatography followed by gel filtration on Sepharose CL-2B. The yield (0.8 mg flagellar protein per 8 g wet weight of treponemes) was identical to that obtained by previously described more time consuming methods. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis of the chromatographically isolated flagella against rabbit anti-T. Reiter immunoglobulin, monospecific anti-T. Reiter flagellar antibodies or human syphilitic serum in the upper gel showed two parallel but closely apposed precipitates. No contaminating material was found by electron microscopy of suspensions of flagella isolated by the new method. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of dissociated flagella showed three major and one minor band. It is concluded that the new method is quantitatively and qualitatively equal to earlier described purification procedures, but simpler to use.