USE OF 2 DIMENSIONAL IMMUNOELECTROPHORETIC METHOD IN STUDY OF ANTIGENIC RELATIONSHIPS OF MYCOBACTERIUM-SIMIAE AND MYCOBACTERIUM-HABANA

Abstract

Following the cultural, biochemical and serologic studies reported elsewhere, it was thought of interest to investigate the antigenic structure of these strains. In the present work, sonicated suspensions of the bacteria were used as antigens, together with rabbit immune serum antibodies. The optimal conditions to obtain the largest number and the sharpest lines possible were established. Two dimensional electrophoresis patterns were obtained. Using an anti-M. habana 4238 antiserum, 36 lines of precipitation were obtained with M. habana 4238, 41 lines with M. simiae 29 and 29 lines with M. simiae 59-IX-7. Subsequently, identity tests were performed to verify the occurrence of common antigens. These tests revealed such common antigens in all the 3 strains. The comparison between M. habana and M. simiae 29 showed the occurrence of at least 1 precipitation line, that is characteristic of M. habana. These results appear to agree with those of Meissner, who obtained a small amount of anti-M. habana specific agglutinins. This worker did not believe that this was sufficient evidence to separate M. simiae 29 from M. habana. The antigenic differences between M. habana and M. simiae 59-IX-7 are more significant and appear to justify their differentiation into 2 serotypes: M. habana 4238 and M. simiae 29 being of serotype 1, M. simiae 59-IX-7 of serotype 2. The difficulties experienced in the separation of the antigenic fractions in the immunoelectrophoretic diagrams, led to the purification of the antigens and an attempt to isolate the specific antigenic fractions.