Reconstitution of Antiphage Antibodies from L and H Polypeptide Chains and the Formation of Interspecies Molecular Hybrids

Reconstitution of phage-neutralizing activity was observed after admixture of separated L and H polypeptide chains of purified antibodies obtained from single sheep or guinea pigs and directed against f1 and f2 phages. Hybrid mixtures of complementary chains of antiphage antibodies and gamma-globulins of the same animal showed less activity than the homologous mixtures of chains from antibodies of the same specificity. 7S interspecies molecular hybrids could be formed between L or H chains of sheep gamma-globulins and the complementary chains of guinea pig gamma-globulins. In contrast to the results obtained within a single animal species, mixtures of L or H chains of antiphage antibodies from one species with the complementary chains of antibodies to the same phage from the other species showed slight or negligible potentiation of neutralizing activity.