Antigenic relationships among thermophilic actinomycetes

Abstract

Antigens [Ag] from Micropolyspora faeni, Saccharomonospora viridis, Thermoactinomyces candidus, T. sacchari and T. vulgaris were prepared by growing them on dialysate of trypticase soy broth. Sera from rabbits immunized with these Ag were used to study cross-reactivity between thermophilic actinomycetes by Ag-antibody crossed immunoelectrophoresis and by agar gel double diffusion. M. faeni and S. viridis showed some degree of cross-reaction but both failed to show any cross-reactivity with Thermoactinomyces species. Ag from Thermoactinomyces cross-reacted with members within the genus but no reactivity against S. viridis or M. faeni antisera was detected. The presence of antibodies to several thermophilic antinomycetes in the sera of patients may be attributed to the exposure of the individual to different thermophilic actinomycetes rather than to the antigenic cross-reactivity between the organisms.