Quantitative immunoelectrophoretic analysis of Streptococcus pyogenes membrane.

The antigenic composition and molecular structure of the plasma membrane of Streptococcus pyogenes (group A; M type 6) were studied by crossed immunoelectrophoresis (XIE) and other related quantitative immunoelectrophoretic techniques. After establishment of a reference pattern of 29 immunoprecipitates, the relative differences in amounts of individual antigens contained in membranes isolated from cells that were harvested during the exponential or stationary phase of growth were examined. Relative increases and decreases in amounts of individual antigens were estimated from the areas subtended by immunoprecipitates after XIE of Triton X-100 extracts. The asymmetric distribution of antigens on the inner and outer surfaces of the membrane was established in absorption experiments with intact, stable protoplasts. Of the 29 immunoprecipitates, 8 appeared to contain antigens exposed on the outer surface of the membrane, whereas 11 appeared to contain antigens either located on the inner surface or unexposed. Six antigens appeared to have limited exposure on the outer surface, and four others remain to be assigned. Certain immunoprecipitates were characterized with respect to enzymatic activity or interaction with the lectin concanavalin A. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase (EC 1.6.99.3), adenosine triphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.3), and polynucleotide phosphorylase (EC 2.3.7.8) were demonstrated by zymogram techniques. The latter two activities were present within the same immunoprecipitate, suggesting the occurrence of a multienzyme complex. In addition, the areas under the immunoprecipitates containing the three enzymatic activities were not affected by absorption of antimembrane immunoglobulin with intact protoplasts and thus appeared to be located on the inner surface of the membrane. The results from absorption experiments also suggested that the exposure of outer protoplast surface antigens was greater on protoplasts from exponential-phase cells than on those from stationary-phase cells, even when found in increased amounts in the latter.