Release and purification of fimbriae from Bordetella pertussis.

A competitive ELISA has been used to monitor the release of fimbriae from 1.2.3 serotype of B. pertussis after treatment by different methods and fimbriae have been purified from homogenates or KSCN extracts by chromatography. Fimbriae purified from different serotypes have been studied by inhibition of bacterial agglutination, immunodiffusion and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Fimbriae purified from a 1.2 serotype have been labelled in immunoelectron microscopy with a IgM monoclonal antibody to agglutinogen 2 and evidence is presented that fimbriae purified from a 1.3 serotype also carry the agglutinogen 3 specificity. A difference in subunit molecular weight has been found between fimbriae purified from 1.2 and 1.3 serotypes.