A PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL DIFFERENCE IN ANTIBODIES AGAINST THE S AND R VARIANTS OF A SINGLE BACTERIAL STRAIN

1. Rabbits were immunized with Bact. typhosum 0 901 S and 0 901 R, over a long period. Homologous and heterologous strains were sensitized with sera obtained from weekly bleedings. Agglutination titer was recorded, and the isoelectric points of the bacteria maximally sensitized were determined. 2. 0 901 S maximally sensitized with homologous immune serum had isoelectric points which became more alkaline as immunization progressed, covering a range of pH 4.8 to 5.5. 3. Strain 0 901 R maximally sensitized with homologous immune serum had isoelectric points which became more alkaline as immunization progressed, covering the range of pH 5.0 to 5.9. 4. Both 0 901 S and 0 901 R maximally sensitized with heterologous serum had isoelectric points lower than when sensitized with homologous serum. 5. The isoelectric points of both forms sensitized with increasing concentrations of homologous immune serum were determined. Increasing concentrations of homologous immune serum shifted the isoelectric point of 0 901 R from less than 2.2 for the unsensitized bacteria progressively to the alkaline side until the maximum values previously mentioned were reached. Increasing concentrations of homologous immune serum conferred upon 0 901 S isoelectric points which became only slightly more alkaline in maximal sensitization. 6. The electrophoretic mobilities of 0 901 S and 0 901 R, in each case maximally sensitized with homologous hyperimmune serum, were found to differ significantly over the whole range of pH studied.