Identification of a subspecies-specific capsular antigen from Bacteroides melaninogenicus subspecies asaccharolyticus by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy.
An indirect fluorescent antibody test was developed with the use of hyperimmune rabbit antiserum to a purified capsular polysaccharide of Bacteroides melaninogenicus subspecies asaccharolyticus. All of 23 strains of B. melaninogenicus subspecies asaccharolyticus were fluorescence-positive in this test. All 11 strains of Bacteroides melaninogenicus subspecies intermedius tested and three strains of Bacteroides melaninogenicus subspecies melaninogenicus were fluorescence-negative. Thirty-one strains of other bacterial species were also fluorescence-negative. The indirect fluorescent antibody test demonstrated the presence of a subspecies-specific capsular antigen from B. melaninogenicus subspecies asaccharolyticus. The capsular antigen was further demonstrated by electron microscopy with ruthenium red, a polysaccharide-staining material.
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000276:immunology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007106:Immune Sera; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D001443:Prevotella melaninogenica / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits; D012430:Ruthenium Red; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007106:Immune Sera; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012430:Ruthenium Red