Molecular Kinetic Analyses and Serological Specificities of Polysaccharides Isolated from Filtrates of the Human Tubercle Bacillus and Related Species

Abstract

Polysaccharides from the culture-filtrates of the human-, avian-, and bovine-type tubercle bacilli, and of the leprosy bacillus and B. phlei have been isolated by electrophoresis. The mobilities, the sedimentation- and diffusion-constants, and the serological specificities of these fractions have been determined. The molecular weights of the polysaccharides from human-type tubercle bacilli and from B. phlei, calculated from the sedimentation- and diffusion-constants, were found to be 7300; that of the polysaccharide from avian-type tubercle bacilli was found to be 7200; and that of the leprosy-bacillus polysaccharide, 2500. The dissymmetry-numbers, and the ratios of major to minor axis indicate that the leprosy-bacillus polysaccharide is spherical, and that the polysaccharide from tuberculin from human-type tubercle bacilli is not greatly elongated. All of the polysaccharides gave high titers in precipitation with anti-H₃₇ horse serum. These polysaccharides are genus-specific rather than species-specific.