Isolation and characterization of outer membranes of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron grown on different carbohydrates.

To determine whether certain outer membrane proteins are associated with growth of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron on polysaccharides, we developed a procedure for separating outer membranes from inner membranes by sucrose density centrifugation. Cell extracts in 10% (wt/vol) sucrose-10 mM HEPES buffer (N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid) (pH 7.4) were separated into two fractions on a two-step (37 and 70% [wt/vol]) sucrose gradient. These fractions were further resolved into outer membranes (p = 1.21 g/cm3) and inner membranes (p = 1.14 g/cm3) on sucrose gradients. About 20 to 26% of the total 3-hydroxy fatty acids from lipopolysaccharide and 2 to 3% of the total cellular succinate dehydrogenase activity were recovered in the outer membrane preparation. The inner membrane preparation contained 22 to 49% of the total succinate dehydrogenase activity and 2 to 3% of the total 3-hydroxy fatty acids from lipopolysaccharide. Outer membranes contained a lower concentration of protein (0.34 mg/mg [dry weight]) than did the inner membranes (0.68 mg/mg [dry weight]). Molecular weights of inner membrane polypeptides ranged from 11,000 to 133,000. The most prominent polypeptides had molecular weights ranging from 11,000 to 26,000. In contrast, the molecular weights of outer membrane polypeptides ranged from 17,000 to 117,000. The most prominent polypeptides had molecular weights ranging from 42,000 to 117,000. There were several polypeptides in the outer membranes of bacteria grown on polysaccharides (chondroitin sulfate, arabinogalactan, or polygalacturonic acid) which were not detected or were not as prominent in outer membranes of bacteria grown on monosaccharide components of these polysaccharides.