One of the early results shows that the post-centrifugation pellet of encapsulated cells also contains EA1 and/or Sap. Why is this not proof that Bacillus anthracis cells have both an S-layer and a capsule simultaneously?
I need help finding the answer in the article and explain in short answer
link to article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC106848/
Transcribed Image Text: 54
A
B
MESNAGE ET AL.
FIG. 2. Immunolabeling of S-layer proteins in capsulated CAF10 bacteria.
Thin sections were incubated with anti-EA1 (A) or anti-Sap (B) antibodies and
then with 10-nm gold-conjugated anti-rabbit antibodies. The capsule is visible in
these micrographs but was only weakly stained with the protocol used. Bar, 200
nm.
A
B
G
m
J. BACTERIOL.
(20). We therefore used strain CAF10, a pXO2 transductant of
strain 9131 (8), to address the question.
CAF10 was grown in the presence of bicarbonate to induce
capsule synthesis, stained with India ink, and examined by
phase-contrast microscopy. The vast majority of the bacteria
were capsulated (Fig. 1A). The presence of EA1 or Sap in the
pellets or the supernatants was verified by Western blot anal-
yses and suggested that, in vitro in a given population, the
poly-y-D-glutamate capsule, EA1, and Sap could be simulta-
neously present (data not shown).
These prior experiments showed that a population of cells
could synthesize both capsule and S-layer proteins but could
not definitively prove that a single cell possessed both at the
same time. To confirm that individual bacterial cells harbored
these three components simultaneously, we analyzed capsu-
lated CAF10 bacteria by immunoelectron microscopy (Fig. 2A
and B and Fig. 3A). Optimized capsule visualization (Fig. 3)
and immunolabeling (Fig. 2) are not compatible. However,
despite these technical limitations, the capsule was visible in
thin sections where EA1 (Fig. 2A) and Sap (Fig. 2B) were
highlighted by the corresponding antibodies. This result indi-
cated that on the surface of CAF10 bacilli grown in the pres-
ence of bicarbonate, EA1, Sap, and the capsule were present
simultaneously. Moreover, the sites of antibody binding indi-
cated that the corresponding antigens were localized under the
capsule (Fig. 2A and B). In thin sections (Fig. 3A), EA1 and
Sap were found between the capsule and the peptidoglycan. A
complementary immunoelectron microscopy approach was
used to examine whole-mount cells incubated with specific
antibodies. In noncapsulated strains, i.e., 9131 (20) and non-
induced CAF10 bacilli (Fig. 4A and C), the anti-Sap and anti-
EA1 antibodies covered the entire bacterial surface, whereas
no antibody was detected on the cell surface of CAF10 grown
D
FIG. 3. Capsule visualization in CAF10 and its various S-layer gene deletion derivatives. (A) CAF10 (EA1+ Sap*). (B) CBA91 (EA1+). (C) CSM91 (Sap*+). (D)
CSM11. Thin sections of cultures grown in capsule synthesis-inducing conditions were treated during fixation and embedding to highlight the peptidoglycan (p), the
S-layer (s), and the fibrillar capsule (c) (see Materials and Methods). The cytoplasmic membrane is also indicated (m). The cell surface components (p, s, c, and m)
are indicated in panel A. Note that the S-layer is absent from the bacterium in panel D. Bar, 250 nm.
Transcribed Image Text: A
B
FIG. 2. Immunolabeling of S-layer proteins in capsulated CAF10 bacteria.
Thin sections were incubated with anti-EA1 (A) or anti-Sap (B) antibodies and
then with 10-nm gold-conjugated anti-rabbit antibodies. The capsule is visible in
these micrographs but was only weakly stained with the protocol used. Bar, 200
nm.
A
B
C
m
TERIOL.
(20). We therefore used strain CAF10, a pXO2 transductant of
strain 9131 (8), to address the question.
CAF10 was grown in the presence of bicarbonate to induce
capsule synthesis, stained with India ink, and examined by
phase-contrast microscopy. The vast majority of the bacteria
were capsulated (Fig. 1A). The presence of EA1 or Sap in the
pellets or the supernatants was verified by Western blot anal-
yses and suggested that, in vitro in a given population, the
poly-y-D-glutamate capsule, EA1, and Sap could be simulta-
neously present (data not shown).
These prior experiments showed that a population of cells
could synthesize both capsule and S-layer proteins but could
not definitively prove that a single cell possessed both at the
same time. To confirm that individual bacterial cells harbored
these three components simultaneously, we analyzed capsu-
lated CAF10 bacteria by immunoelectron microscopy (Fig. 2A
and B and Fig. 3A). Optimized capsule visualization (Fig. 3)
and immunolabeling (Fig. 2) are not compatible. However,
despite these technical limitations, the capsule was visible in
thin sections where EA1 (Fig. 2A) and Sap (Fig. 2B) were
highlighted by the corresponding antibodies. This result indi-
cated that on the surface of CAF10 bacilli grown in the pres-
ence of bicarbonate, EA1, Sap, and the capsule were present
simultaneously. Moreover, the sites of antibody binding indi-
cated that the corresponding antigens were localized under the
capsule (Fig. 2A and B). In thin sections (Fig. 3A), EA1 and
Sap were found between the capsule and the peptidoglycan. A
complementary immunoelectron microscopy approach was
used to examine whole-mount cells incubated with specific
antibodies. In noncapsulated strains, i.e., 9131 (20) and non-
induced CAF10 bacilli (Fig. 4A and C), the anti-Sap and anti-
EA1 antibodies covered the entire bacterial surface, whereas
no antibody was detected on the cell surface of CAF10 grown
D
FIG. 3. Capsule visualization in CAF10 and its various S-layer gene deletion derivatives. (A) CAF10 (EA1+ Sap*). (B) CBA91 (EA1¹). (C) CSM91 (Sap+). (D)
CSM11. Thin sections of cultures grown in capsule synthesis-inducing conditions were treated during fixation and embedding to highlight the peptidoglycan (p), the
S-layer (s), and the fibrillar capsule (c) (see Materials and Methods). The cytoplasmic membrane is also indicated (m). The cell surface components (p, s, c, and m)