Immunochemical diversity of the major outer membrane protein of avian and mammalian Chlamydia psittaci.

Immunochemical properties of the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of 16 strains of Chlamydia psittaci isolated from psittacine birds, budgerigars, a pigeon, turkeys, humans, cats, a muskrat, sheep, and cattle and a strain of C. trachomatis, L2/434/Bu, were compared by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by immunoblotting analysis with hyperimmunized rabbit antisera to strains of parrot, turkey, feline, and bovine origin. The MOMPs of the strains showed variation in molecular weights and immunological specificities. Fifteen of the C. psittaci strains were classified into two avian and two mammalian types based on immunological specificity of the MOMP, whereas the other strain was not classified in this study. Immunological classification based on specificity of the MOMP by immunoblotting proved to be a valuable method to classify various strains of C. psittaci.