title: Production and characterization of a polyclonal antiserum against Spiroplasma mirum (ATCC 29335).
abstract: Spiroplasma mirum (ATCC 29335), an American tick isolate, was cultivated and its purity was controlled using electron microscopy and Tricine-SDS-PAGE. In the SDS-PAGE analysis, the protein pattern of the antigen used revealed a polypeptide profile (35 bands) with an approximate molecular weight of 161 kDa to 10.5 kDa. This strain was used to immunize two rabbits. The produced antisera did not cross-react with Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Salmonella minnesota, Borrelia burgdorferi, Treponema pallidum but did still react in Western blot analysis with Spiroplasma mirum at a dilution of 1:128.000. This specific and sensitive antiserum was used to examine 72 midgut smears of Berlin ticks (lxodes ricinus) individually by direct immunofluorescence. In 26 samples, we could demonstrate fluorescent structures, but we were not able to culture spiroplasmas from these samples.
authors.affiliation: Immanuel-Krankenhaus GmbH, Rheumaklinik, Berlin (Wannsee), Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tenckhoff
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kölmel
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lange
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007106:Immune Sera; D013149:Spiroplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007106:Immune Sera