Analysis of outer membrane proteins which are associated with growth of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron on chondroitin sulfate.

By analyzing outer membrane proteins of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels, we were able to identify 10 protein spots that were associated with growth on chondroitin sulfate but not with growth on glucuronic acid or other monosaccharides. These proteins were distinct from the outer membrane polypeptides that were associated with growth on two other negatively charged polysaccharides, polygalacturonic acid and heparin. Of the 10 protein spots that were associated with growth on chondroitin sulfate, 4 could be detected on immunoblots with antiserum that had been raised against outer membranes from bacteria grown on chondroitin sulfate and then cross-adsorbed with membranes from bacteria grown on glucose. Synthesis of these four proteins appeared to be regulated coordinately with synthesis of the two enzymes that degrade chondroitin sulfate, chondroitin lyase I and II. Although one of the four proteins (Mr 110,000) was similar in molecular weight to the chondroitin lyases, the cross-adsorbed antiserum which detected this outer membrane protein did not cross-react with either of these two enzymes.