Immunological and chemical characteristics of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis cell walls and protoplasm

Abstract

Successive extraction of purified Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis cell walls with ether: ethanol, cold and hot trichloroacetic acid and crystalline trypsin did not destroy their immunizing potency. Cell walls were not susceptible to the action of lysozyme unless pre-treated with trichloroacetic acid and NaOH. Treatment with NaOH, however, destroyed the immunizing properties. Protoplasm also contains immunizing antigen but because of the insolubility of the antigen it could not be purified and characterized. By gel diffusion it was found that cell walls and a protoplasm fraction contain a common antigen. It could not, however, be proved that this antigen is exclusively responsible for inducing a protective immunity.