Treponeme Outer Cell Envelope: Solubilization and Reaggregation

Abstract

Exposure of the avirulent Kazan 5 treponeme to low concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate (1.4 m m ) results in the solubilization of the outer envelope. Maximal reaggregation of the outer envelope preparation requires cations, and cation concentration affects both the yield and structure of the aggregates. The reaggregated outer envelope preparation can be resolubilized with the chelating agent, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or with sodium dodecyl sulfate.

Identification and localization of integral membrane proteins of virulent Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum by phase partitioning with the nonionic detergent triton X-114

“…The 47-kDa protein was, detected in the detergent phase from the 0. the identities of those polypeptides which are integral membrane proteins and their precise locations in either the outer or cytoplasmic membranes. Reports by other investigators that the outer membranes of spirochetes can be removed by detergents or chaotropic reagents provided the impetus for the current study (2,15). Penn et al (26) reported that low concentrations (0.2%) of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 could solubilize T. pallidum outer membranes.…”

“…Selective detergent solubilization has been used to isolate outer membranes from cultivatable spirochetes, such as the nonpathogenic, host-indigenous T. phagedenis biotype Kazan (15) and the pathogenic Leptospira interrogans (2). More recently, Stamm et al (32) used low concentrations of sodium-dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to isolate putative outer membranes from viable T. pallidum.…”

Chemical Treatment of Diseased Root Surfaces in Vitro,

“…The increased numbers of cells which adhere to diseased root surfaces that have been treated in vitro, even when treated only with phosphatebuffered saline, would seem to have clinical application. 17,19 These chemicals may be useful as antimicrobial agents but they did not show profound detoxification at the concentrations and time of application used. Citric acid is currently being used to demineralize root surfaces and expose collagen matrix.20 Little or no collagen is exposed unless the root surfaces are first scraped.20 The root surfaces in the experiments reported here were not scraped to remove cementum, but only the plaque and calculus, so that the effect of acid hydrolysis on detoxification and cell attachment could be tested.…”

Isolation, and Structural and Chemical Characterization of Outer Sheath Carrying a Polygonal Array from Treponema phagedenis Biotype Reiter

“…An outer sheath is the outermost membranous structure specific for spirochetal cells. The outer sheath has been isolated from several spirochetes including the genus Treponema (7,13,18), Leptospira (1,20), and Borrelia (8). The outer sheath was shown to be mainly composed of protein, lipid, and carbohydrate (8,13,18,20).…”

“…AND T. KAWATA Kazan 5 (7), L. interogans serotype canicola (1), and B. hermsi (8) and those solubilized with DOC from Treponema strain E-21 (13) were reassembled into membranous vesicles on removal of the detergents by dialysis in the absence of Mg2-f. The solubilized outer sheath components from biotype Kazan 5 reaggregated into amorphous materials, but failed to reassemble into membranous vesicles on dialysis in the presence of Mg2+ (7). We found here that the reassembly of the outer sheath components of biotype Reiter into membranous sheets showed considerable interference due to the addition of Mg2±.…”