In vitro protein expression profile of Campylobacter jejuni strain NCTC11168 by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

Objective: To investigate the protein expression profiles of the major food-borne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168.

Methods: Membrane and soluble cellular proteins were extracted from the genome-sequenced C. jejuni strain NCTC11168. Protein expression profiles were determined using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). All the detected spots on the 2-DE map were subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF) analysis.

Results: A total of 537 and 333 spots were detected from the whole cell and membrane-associated proteins of C. jejuni NCTC11168 cultured on Columbia agar medium at 42 °C by 2-DE and Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining, respectively. Analyses of whole cell and membrane-associated proteins included 399 and 133 spots, respectively, which included 182 and 53 functional proteins identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis.

Conclusion: The comprehensive expression protein profiles of C. jeuni NCTC11168 obtained in this study will be useful for elucidating the roles of these proteins in further pathogenesis investigation.