The antigenic properties of bacterial spores

Bekker, J. H.

doi:10.1007/bf02272786

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…On the other Krauskopf & McCoy (1937) failed to confirm such specific spore antigens in the B. nigpr variety of the latter species. More recently the evidence for antigens specific to the spore has become stronger (Lamanna, 1940a(Lamanna, , 1942Howie & Cruickshank, 1940;Bekker, 1944;Davies, 1951) and the present findings leave no doubt that there are antigenic differences between the two phases and that vegetative cell H, vegetative cell 0 and spore antigens are separate entities.…”

Section: Vegetative 0 Agglutination Reactionssupporting

confidence: 50%

A Study of Antigens of the Aerobic Sporeforming Bacteria

Norris

Wolf

1961

Journal of Applied Bacteriology

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Spore, vegetative 0 and vegetative H agglutinogens were demonstrated as separate entities in Bacillus species. Spore precipitinogens were distinct from those of the vegetative stage, the latter being associated with the H antigen.Injection of viable spores into rabbits resulted in the formation of antibodies for the vegetative phase as well as spore antibodies, while injection of autoclaved spores gave rise to spore antibodies only.Spore agglutinogens varied in their strain specificity, B. cereus and B. megaterium especially showing much subspecies specificity, but the spore precipitinogens showed a high degree of species specificity and could be of considerable taxonomic value. The multiplicity of spore precipitinogens in certain species was demonstrated and interspecies cross reactions were studied.THE SPORE, somatic and flagellar antigens of Bacillus polymyxa were studied by Davies (1951) using the agglutination technique. The three antigens proved to be xerologically distinct and there was a species specific antigen present in the spores of all 39 strains studied. Lamanna (1942) and Doak & Lamanna (1948) showed that the spores and vegetative cells of several Bacillus species possessed precipitinogens and that the spore precipitinogens were of some taxonomic value. The aims of the present work were to extend Davies' observations to other members of the genus. to include a study of spore and vegetative cell precipitinogens and to try to assess the taxonomic value of the different types of antigen. MATERIALS AND METHODS Preparation of antigensWhether intended for injection into rabbits or for use in agglutination or precipitation tests, only freshly prepared antigens were used and all cultures were checked microscopically for purity. Vegptative cell antigensCultures were grown in nutrient broth (Oxoicl) in 4 oz McCartney bottles. These were inoculated with a loopful of an overnight broth culture and incubated a t 30" for 12 hr with continuous gentle shaking. The cultures were centrifuged and the cells washed 6 times in 25 ml amounts of sterile saline. The final deposit was resuspended in saline, shaken rapidly for 10 min and centrifuged lightly to throw down cell aggregates. The homogeneous supernatant suspension was pipetted off, diluted with

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Section: Vegetative 0 Agglutination Reactionssupporting

confidence: 50%

A Study of Antigens of the Aerobic Sporeforming Bacteria

Norris

Wolf

1961

Journal of Applied Bacteriology

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“…The effect of direct sunlight was reviewed in the section on the relation of the environment to endospore formation. 8. Oxidation-Reduction Potential.…”

Section: ]mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Endospore of Bacteria

Knaysi¹

1948

Bacteriological Reviews

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“…These data reveal that spores as well as bacillary forms are capable of agglutination with antisera prepared against material from other species. That this has gone unnoticed in the work of others (Howie and Cruickshank, 1940;Bekker, 1944) is probably due to the fact that species too distantly related have been used in the attempted demonstration. For example, C3 antispore serum will not clump C4 or S8 spores, but does agglutinate B.…”

Section: The Datementioning

confidence: 99%

On the Antigenic Structure of the Bacterial Spore

Doak

Lamanna

1948

J Bacteriol

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Lamanna (1940a, b), and Bekker (1944) have reported that bacterial spores are capable of inducing the formation of specific antibodies and give no evidence in agglutinin-absorption experiments of possessing antigens related to vegetative cells. In contrast to these findings is the work of Krauskopf and McCoy (1937), who, using alkali-treated spores of Bacillus niger to prepare antiserum, found a serological relationship of spores to vegetative cells. They concluded that spores did not possess antigenic factors not found in vegetative cells. The present series of experiments has been directed toward a more complete understanding of the spore in its antigenic relation to its mother cell and toward the reconciliation of the data of Krauskopf and McCoy with the experience of other investigators. Cross agglutination between spores from various species, which would require a complex antigenic structure for the spore, has been denied by Bekker (1944). On the other hand, Defalle (1902) and Lamanna (1940b) have reported some evidence suggestive of such cross reactions, a finding which is developed further in this paper. MATERIALS AND METHODS The strains used were Bacillus cereus C3; Bacillus subtilis, Ford strain S8; Bacillus vulgatus, or Marburg strain of Bacillus subtilis C4; Bacillus agri 13; Bacillus brevis, Ba8 (4), a strain kindly supplied by Dr. K. L. Burdon; Bacillus sp. B40 (otherwise identified as B. brevis by Smith, Gordon, and Clark, 1946); Bacillus sphaericus var. fusiformis A20, identified by Smith, Gordon, and Clark. Unless stated otherwise, the identifications are our own. Antisera to spores, vegetative cells and H and 0 antigens were produced in different rabbits by giving a series of 5 to 7 intravenous injections of 0.5 to 1 ml of the material containing 50 to 200 million cells. Vegetative cells were grown overnight fresh for each injection. H antigens were prepared by the addition of 0.2 per cent formalin to a suspension of washed vegetative cells. 0 antigens were prepared by boiling a suspension of washed vegetative cells for 21 hours. Spore suspensions were obtained by seeding the cultures on asparaginate agar (Howie and Cruickshank, 1940), or beef extract agar (Lamanna, 1940a, b), and incubating for about 2 weeks at 34, 37, or 45 C depending upon the strain. Sporulation was in general more rapid and complete on asparaginate agar, although there was some variation among the species in this regard. Spores were washed thoroughly with saline and stored at 0 C. The same suspension was used for injections, agglutination trials, and absorptions.

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The antigenic properties of bacterial spores

Cited by 8 publications

References 6 publications

A Study of Antigens of the Aerobic Sporeforming Bacteria

A Study of Antigens of the Aerobic Sporeforming Bacteria

The Endospore of Bacteria

On the Antigenic Structure of the Bacterial Spore

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