title: Polyclonal antisera production by immunization with mixed cell antigens of different rhizobial species.
abstract: Somatic antigens of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Rhizobium sp. (Cicer arietinum) and Rhizobium sp. (Leucaena leucocephala) were prepared as standard, single-species type from cultured cells. Equal numbers of the cells of these rhizobia were then combined to obtain a mixed-rhizobial-species antigen preparation. Rabbits were immunized either with the standard, single-species type or with the mixed-rhizobial-species antigen preparations. The antisera developed from the mixed antigen immunization contained antibodies for all three rhizobial species, detectable at agglutination titres of over 800. The mixed-rhizobial-species antisera were made species specific by cross-absorption. The cross-absorbed and the mixed-rhizobial-species antisera were generally similar in quality for strain identification by agglutination, fluorescent antibodies, immunoblot and ELISA. A 66% reduction in cost was estimated for the production of antisera by immunization with mixed-rhizobial-species antigen.
authors.affiliation: , .
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hoben
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Somasegaran
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boonkerd
authors.forename: Y D
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Gaur