title: Identification of group B streptococcal antigen with lectin-bound polystyrene particles.
abstract: The lectin of the tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, or of the potato, Solanum tuberosum, can be passively coupled to amide-modified polystyrene spheres to be used as a detection reagent for the specific identification of group B streptococcal cultures grown in selective or nonselective Todd-Hewitt broth for 5 and 4 h, respectively. Agglutination occurred when the lectin reagents were allowed to react with either the cell suspension, clarified broth, or antigen extracts from group B streptococci grown in Todd-Hewitt broth. No agglutination occurred when these lectins were allowed to react with strains of serogroup A, C, D, F, or G streptococci. False-negative agglutination responses may occur with certain serotype of group B streptococci grown on Columbia sheep blood agar. A 20-min staining time permitted the specific labeling of fixed smears of group B streptococci with fluorescein-conjugated Lycopersicon lectin. The lectin from the solanaceous plant Datura stramonium did not agglutinate group B streptococci or other clinically significant streptococcal serogroups.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slifkin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cumbie
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D012703:Serotyping; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; C041202:potato lectin; C034981:tomato lectin