Abstract
A panel of six different monoclonal antibodies (6A to F) was generated using Methanobrevibacter smithii strain PS as immunogen. The antibodies were characterized and calibrated by standard techniques and with a novel application of the slide immunoenzymatic assay (SIA) for determination of the l-chain type of the monoclonal antibody molecule. Five (and possibly six) determinants were identified with the antibodies. Each antibody recognized one determinant exclusively, except for antibodies 6B and 6F which might recognize the same determinant, although some data suggest that antibody 6F recognizes a sixth determinant different from the other five. The determinant for antibody 6A involves Glu, Lys and Orn. It is most likely located in the region of the peptide moiety of pseudomurein which is typical of strain PS. The six antibodies reacted with whole bacterial cells unfixed or formalinized and/or heat-fixed, but did not react with the other M. smithii reference strain ALI, or with any other reference methanogen tested. However, the antibodies did react with a number of isolates from human feces considered M. smithii from morphologic, physiologic and immunologic information, and were instrumental for grouping the isolates.
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Abbreviations
- PBS:
-
phosphate buffered saline
- SIA:
-
slide immunoenzymatic assay
- IIF:
-
indirect immunofluorescence
References
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Conway de Macario, E., Macario, A.J.L. & Pastini, A. The superficial antigenic mosaic of Methanobrevibacter smithii . Arch. Microbiol. 142, 311–316 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00491896
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00491896