Studies on the Group F Antigen of Lactobacilli: Detection of Antibodies by Haemagglutination

Antigenic Analyses of Lactobacillus fermenti

“…Therefore, it seems likely that antigen f would correspond to the antigen F described by Sharpe et al [14] and Knox and Wicken [7]. The lack of a positive reaction of antigen fin TCA extracts may be explained as follows : antibody f combines first with the substance which has a low molecular weight and poor reactivity in the extract as reported by Wicken and Knox [18] and Hewett et al [3], and the complex inhibits the reaction of the substance with a high molecular weight. Furthermore, antigen f could be extracted with hot dilute HCl even from six strains of L. casei (Table 6), although L. fermenti could readily be distinguished from L. casei possessing group antigen B or C (antigen 1 or 2) [12,14,16].…”

Studies on the Group F Antigen of Lactobacilli: Antigenicity and Serological Specificity of Teichoic Acid Preparations

“…The poor reaction of LT-teichoic acid with antisera probably relates to its low molecular weight, as Goodman & Kabat (1960) have noted a similar relation between the amounts of antibody precipitated by dextrans of high and low molecular weights. Loss of reaction could also arise from loss of serological determinants, but this is less likely as LT-teichoic acid inhibited the agglutination of red blood cells sensitized with HT-teichoic acid (Hewett, Knox & Wicken, 1970). The lirst suggestion is also supported by the observation that aqueous ammonia, which would disrupt the HT-teichoic acid complex by liberating fatty acids, yields a product with serological properties similar to those of LT-teichoic acid.…”

Induction of IgM Immunological Memory to Lipoteichoic Acids in Rabbits

“…The test employed sheep erythrocytes sensitised with LTA as pre viously described [10]. Incubation of antiserum samples with equal volumes of 0.15 M 2-mercaptoethanol, for 3 h at 37 °C, was used to inactivate (specific) IgM antibodies.…”