Investigation into the origin of the antigens of Mycoplasma arthritidis cross-reacting with host tissue antigens.

The electrophoretical separations of Mycoplasma arthritidis and the serum 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 Mycoplasma arthritidis in their antigenic properties as demonstrated by Western blotting with rat-anti-Mycoplasma arthritidis serum. The autoradiography of electrophoretically separated Mycoplasma arthritidis cells metabolically labeled with 35S-methionine and 35S-cysteine revealed that the proteins of Mycoplasma arthiritidis identical in molecular weight and antigenic structure with serum proteins are synthesized by Mycoplasma arthritidis, and represent true translation products.