The capsule of Bacillus anthracis behaves as a thymus-independent type 2 antigen.
Bacillus anthracis elaborates a homopolymeric capsule composed of gamma-D-glutamic acid residues. Mice were immunized with formalin-fixed encapsulated B. anthracis bacilli, and the serum antibody response to a gamma-D-glutamyl capsular epitope was measured. Antiglutamyl antibodies were elicited in athymic BALB/c Nu/Nu, BALB/c Nu/+, and CBA/J mice but not in CBA/N xid mice. These response patterns define the capsule of B. anthracis as a thymus-independent type 2 antigen.
Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, 5700 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland, CA 94609, USA.
Taia T
TT
Wang
Alexander H
AH
Lucas
D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D022122:Anthrax Vaccines; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000955:Antigens, T-Independent / Q000276:immunology*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000276:immunology*; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008819:Mice, Nude
D022122:Anthrax Vaccines; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000955:Antigens, T-Independent; D018698:Glutamic Acid