Phase variations of the Mycoplasma penetrans main surface lipoprotein increase antigenic diversity.

ABSTRACT: Mycoplasma penetrans is a recently identified mycoplasma, isolated from urine samples collected from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Its presence is significantly associated with HIV infection. The major antigen recognized during natural and experimental infections is an abundant P35 lipoprotein which, upon extraction, segregates in the Triton X-114 detergent phase and is the basis of M. penetrans-specific serological assays. We report here that the P35 antigen undergoes spontaneous and reversible phase variation at high frequency, leading to heterogeneous populations of mycoplasmas, even when derived from a clonal lineage. This variation was found to be determined at the transcription level, and although this property is not unique among the members of the class Moll

SUBMITTER: Neyrolles O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC96498 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature