Comparison Of Three Strains Of Contagious Equine Metritis Organism By Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis And Description Of Three Colonial Opacity Variants

Abstract

The colonial morphology and molecular composition of 26 phenotypes of Contagious Equine Metritis Organisms (CEMO) were studied by stereomicroscopic examination and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Twenty-three phenotypes had colonies that were round and smooth. Three phenotypes had colonies that were round and smooth with occasional fimbria projecting from the edge of the colonies. The consistency of all the colonies varied from friable and butyrous to viscid. Based on external observation in reflected and transmitted light, the 26 phenotypes were separated into 3 different types of colonial variants based on opacity. The major stained bands in the page profiles of all 26 phenotypes were observed and recorded. The stained bands were observed in polyacrylamide 125 gels that were prepared with CBB stain, silver stain, Isurface labeling, and Immuno-electroblotting procedures. Several differences between the polyacrylamide gel profiles of these strains were observed.