Studies in the Variability of Tubercle Bacilli

[摘要] The S type of various strains of acid-fast bacteria, Mycob. leprae and human, bovine and avian tubercle bacilli have been found to contain antigenic substances not present in the R type of the same strain, dissociation apparently being accompanied by a considerable loss in antigenic complexity.Immune sera prepared against such S organisms contain certain antibodies reacting with extracts of the homologous S organisms but not with the homologous R type, other antibodies reacting with both S and R of the same species and a third type of antibody detected by antigens prepared from the other species of acid-fast bacteria, that is a group antibody.Antisera prepared against R organisms on the other hand appear to lack the S-specific antibody which is found in S antiserum but contain a much higher proportion of antibodies reacting with extracts prepared from other acid-fast species. The possible chemical nature of the various antigenic substances has been briefly discussed.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）