Separation by Ethanol of Common and Somatic Antigens of Enterobacteriaceae.

Suzuki, T. (Children's Hospital, Buffalo, N.Y.), E. A. Gorzynski, and E. Neter. Separation by ethanol of common and somatic antigens of Enterobacteriaceae. J. Bacteriol. 88:1240-1243. 1964.-Ethanol in a concentration of 85% permits separation from crude culture supernatant fluids of the common enterobacterial antigen and the O antigen, the former being ethanol-soluble, the latter being ethanol-insoluble. The evidence was obtained in hemagglutination, hemolysis, and hemagglutination-inhibition tests. In contrast to the crude antigens obtained from enteric bacteria other than Escherichia coli O14, the ethanol-soluble fraction is immunogenic in the rabbit upon intravenous injection, and antibodies against the common antigen are produced in relatively high titers. Aqueous mixtures of ethanol-soluble and -insoluble fractions engender antibodies against the common antigen in titers significantly lower than those stimulated by the soluble fraction alone. Ethanol-treated whole antigen fails to stimulate antibody formation against this antigen. These results suggest the presence of an inhibitor in the ethanol-insoluble fraction.