Usefulness of the agar precipitation test for the determination of the antigenic properties of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. I. Double diffusion test in agar gel

The usefulness of the double diffusion test in agar gel for the analysis of sero-antigenic structure of mycoplasms was exemplified with serotype S6 Mycoplasma gallispeticum. Serum of a high precipitation value obtained on rabbits intradermally vaccinated with a suspension of mycoplasms with a complete Freund's adjuvant was used. As antigens in the reactions with a specific antiserum was applied an ultrasonic disintegrate of the same suspension of mycoplasms, and in order to elucidate an eventual-phenomenon of fusion of precipitation bands, unheated, and heated at 60, 70 and 100 degrees C for 30 min samples of disintegrate. Apart from a normal antiserum, in the studies were also used antiserum absorbed with lyophylized disintegrate of mycoplasms heated at 100 degrees C. The double diffusion test in agar gel was performed in 3 sets: 1. Unabsorbed antiserum and unheated disintegrate, 2. Unabsorbed antiserum, unheated and heated disintegrate, 3. Absorbed antiserum, unheated and heated disintegrate. In the first set of the examinations 12 more or less intensive precipitation bands were found, in the second set of the experiment appeared two accessory bands, and the third set of the experiment enabled visualization of the other accessory line. Generally in the 3 sets of the experiment 15 precipitation lines were noted in Mycoplasma gallisepticum S6. The precipitation bands represented particular antigenic components of the microorganism studied. Among them 7 components was susceptible to 60 degrees C, 4 were susceptible to 70 degrees C, and 4 were not susceptible even to heating at 100 degrees C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)