title: Identification of the A and M antigens of Brucella as the O-polysaccharides of smooth lipopolysaccharides.
abstract: Rabbit antisera, cross-absorbed serotype-specific for the Brucella A and M antigens, precipitated respectively the smooth lipopolysaccharides from B. abortus 1119-3 and B. melitensis 16M. The antigenic A and M activity of these lipopolysaccharides was shown to reside within the O-chain region of the smooth lipopolysaccharides by inhibition experiments. Homologous O-polysaccharides showed the highest inhibitory activity in ELISA, although both the A and M antigens were active as heterologous inhibitors, showing that the antigenic determinants of the classical A and M antigens are therefore within the respective O-polysaccharide structures. Their cross-serological activity may be explained in terms of the distinct but related chemical structures of these polysaccharides.
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002002:Brucella / Q000276:immunology*; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C055610:A antigen (Brucella abortus); D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C043431:M antigen, Brucella melitensis