The Surface Properties of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Isolation of the Major Components of the Outer Membrane

Abstract

Outer membranes were isolated from several strains of N. gonorrhoeae by extraction of whole cells with aqueous lithium acetate. The preparations contained a limited number of components including lipopolysaccharide and 2 major proteins. One protein was present in all strains examined; the 2nd, which showed anomalous behavior on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was absent from some. Fluorescent labeling of intact N. gonorrhoeae showed that the 2 proteins and pili were the major surface proteins. Each of the 3 major outer membrane components was isolated in a homogeneous form by selective extraction followed by gel filtration.