Premium
Antigens of Bacillus cereus: A Comparison of a Parent Strain, an Asporogenic Variant and Cell Fractions
Author(s) -
Baillie Ann
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1967.tb00293.x
Subject(s) - strain (injury) , bacillus cereus , antiserum , antigen , esterase , spore , biology , immunoelectrophoresis , microbiology and biotechnology , polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis , chemistry , enzyme , biochemistry , bacteria , genetics , anatomy
S ummary . The antigenic structure of a stable asporogenic variant of the M8 strain of Bacillus cereus has been compared with that of the parent strain. Ultrasonic extracts of cells of both parent strain and variant harvested at different ages have been analysed by immunoelectrophoresis against antisera prepared by injecting such extracts into rabbits. Disintegrates of cells of the asporogenic variant were antigenically identical with disintegrates of vegetative cells of the parent strain. Disintegrates of cells in later stages of sporulation and of mature spores of the parent strain contained thermostable antigens which were never detected in the variant. Antigens of isolated cell walls, protoplasts and flagella were also studied. Examination of esterase and catalase content of the two strains showed that although the variant had the same enzymes as the young vegetative cells of the parent strain it never developed the thermostable catalase found in disintegrated spores. Protein components of the two strains at different stages of growth and of the isolated cell fractions were studied by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels.