Neisseria meningitidis group B outer membrane protein complex (Hib PS-OMP)
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Neisseria meningitidis group B outer membrane protein complex (Hib PS-OMP)
Neisseria meningitidis, like most gram-negative eubacteria is bounded by a cell envelope consisting of an inner or cytoplasmic membrane, an intermediate peptidoglycan layer, and an outer membrane. The outer membrane is immunologically the most important structure because it is this portion of the organism that interacts with the host defense mechanisms. There are two main groups of meningococcal cell surface antigens responsible for the production of protective antibodies, the polysaccharide group-specific antigens and protein serotype antigens. Earlier studies on the serotype antigens by Frasch and Chapman indicated that these antigens were most likely high molecular weight complexes containing protein and that they were extractable by mild acid or saline at 100°C. The cellular location of the serotype antigen was assumed to be on the cell surface because the bactericidal activity directed against the serotype antigen was complement mediated. Presence of an immunologically identifiable protein component in the meningococcal cell envelope provided a useful tool for the examination of the cell envelope proteins. Neisseria meningitidis group B outer membrane protein is a very high molecular weight lipoprotein-lipopolysaccharide complex with a mol wt of approximately 4 X 106 daltons. This serotype antigen is located on the surface of the outer membrane and is an effective immunogen producing high titered type-specific bactericidal antisera in rabbits.
