INVESTIGATION INTO THE ORIGIN OF THE ANTIGENS OF MYCOPLASMA-ARTHRITIDIS CROSS-REACTING WITH HOST TISSUE ANTIGENS

The electrophoretical separations of Mycoplasma arthritidis and the se rum used in the cultivation medium show a high number of protein bands with identical molecular weights. Proteins with molecular weights of 84, 72 and 52 kDa also appeared to be identical with proteins of Mycop lasma arthritidis in their antigenic properties as demonstrated by Wes tern blotting with rat-anti-Mycoplasma arthritidis serum. The autoradi ography of electrophoretically separated Mycoplasma arthritidis cells metabolically labeled with S-35-methionine and S-35-cysteine revealed that the proteins of Mycoplasma arthiritids identical in molecular wei ght and antigenic structure with serum proteins are synthesized by Myc oplasma arthritidis, and represent true translation products.