Sodium dodecyl sulfate-agarose gel electrophoresis for the detection and isolation of amyloid curli fibers.

Curli are amyloid-like fibers on the surface of some strains of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis. We tested the use of horizontal sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-agarose gel electrophoresis to detect, isolate, and quantitate curli. Cell extracts fractionated in SDS-agarose gels and stained with Coomassie blue exhibited a soluble fraction that entered the gel and an insoluble fraction that remained in the well. Much more insoluble material was observed with curli-proficient strains than with strains that do not make curli. Both highly purified curli and the insoluble material isolated from an SDS-agarose gel could be dissociated into monomers when treated with formic acid. For quantitation, we immobilized samples in SDS-agarose prior to electrophoresis. This avoids losses during the staining of the gel. Our methods provide a rapid and simple fractionation of curli using equipment that is readily available.