BIOVAR-SPECIFIC EPITOPES OF THE UREASE ENZYME OF UREAPLASMA-UREALYTICUM

The importance of Ureaplasma urealyticum as a pathogen in premature ne onates and patients with a profound defect in humoral immunity has, ov er the last few years, become well recognised, U. urealyticum is uniqu e amongst the Mycoplasmataceae for its use of urea metabolism as an es sential source of energy, The urease enzyme responsible for this is, t herefore, of prime importance and any variability in expression of thi s enzyme may play a role in virulence of the organism, U. urealyticum is divided into 14 serovars comprising two biovars - the parvo-biovar and T960-biovar. In this study monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produ ced against the urease enzyme, Two distinct epitopes of the 72-kDa alp ha-subunit were recognised by three different MAbs, Under denaturing c onditions both epitopes were shown to be specific for the parvobiovar.