Open AccessSpecificity of Antibodies for T Sites and F Sites of Streptolysin O
Author(s) -
K. C. Watson,
E. J. C. Kerr
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of medical microbiology/journal of medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1473-5644
pISSN - 0022-2615
DOI - 10.1099/00222615-19-1-1
Subject(s) - streptolysin , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , biology , immunology , bacterial protein , bacteria , genetics
Antistreptolysin antibody (ASO) inhibits haemolysis of erythrocytes coated with streptolysin O (SLO), but antistreptolysin activity may also be due to the presence in sera of peptide fragments of altered beta lipoproteins. SLO-mediated haemolysis results from activity of a molecular site (the t site) distinct from that at which the SLO becomes attached to the cell (the f site), and both sites might be expected to function antigenically. Absorption studies with SLO-coated latex particles, and with SLO-coated erythrocytes in the cold, provide evidence for the existence of both classes of antibody. Results also suggest explanations for the frequent observation of false-negative and false-positive latex tests.