title: Agglutination of Staphylococcus aureus by rabbit sera.
abstract: Of 137 Staphylococcus aureus strains, 87 agglutinated in normal rabbit serum. The agglutination was shown to be caused by the Fc-part of immunoglobulin G (IgG). F(ab(1))(2)-fragments of IgG and immunoglobulin M (IgM) in corresponding concentrations were unreactive. The agglutinating strains had a high or moderate content of protein A. Strains with a low content of protein A and protein A-negative mutants did not agglutinate. The importance of the reaction between the Fc part of IgG and protein A for serotyping of S. aureus is demonstrated. Two alternative methods for serotyping S. aureus are suggested, using either F(ab(1))(2) fragments of IgG or intact IgM.
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002848:Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007106:Immune Sera; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009154:Mutation; D010206:Papain; D010434:Pepsin A; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D012703:Serotyping; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001798:Blood Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D010206:Papain; D010434:Pepsin A; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate