Studies of antigens inPlasmodium yoelii

Abstract

Summary: Antigens of three lines of the rodent malaria parasitePlasmodium yoeliihave been studied using crossed immunoelectrophoresis.P. y. yoeliiline A₁is a mild line which is restricted to reticulocytes.P. y. yoeliiline YM andP. y. nigeriensisline D₁are virulent infections which multiply in both immature and mature erythrocytes. One antigen, designated Py-1, was found to differ in its electrophoretic mobility between the lines, being fast (F) in lines A₁and YM and slow (S) in line D₁. Antigen Py-1 also varied in quantity among the three lines; greater amounts were detected in parasites inhabiting mature erythrocytes than in those in reticulocytes. These characters were stable during blood and mosquito passage.