Preparation and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies toSalmonella typhimurium K-antigen

Monoclonal antibodies toS. typhimurium K-antigens representing IgG1 immunoglobulins with a “kappa”-type light chain are prepared and characterized. They are highly active in indirect enzyme immunoassay with purified K-antigens and whole fixedS. typhimurium cells and virtually do not cross-react with O-antigen of the same bacterial species or withE. coli antigenic structures. The kinetics of binding and ability to agglutinate whole bacterial cells are studied and epitope analysis is carried out, which shows that antigenic determinants ofS. typhimurium K-antigen qualitatively differ from those of O-antigen of the same bacterium.