SOME ANTIGENIC PROPERTIES OF CULTURED-CELL AND BACTEROID FORMS OF FAST-GROWING AND SLOW-GROWING STRAINS OF LOTUS RHIZOBIA

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 24  (95) , 19-28
Abstract
Immunodiffusion cross-reactions of 62 fast- and 76 slow-growing strains of Lotus rhizobia with antisera to 4 of the fast-growing and 5 of the slow-growing strains were studied. No sharing of antigens by both fast- and slow-growing strains was found. Somatic antigens were very strain specific with only 8 of the fast-growing and 5 of the slow-growing strains tested having somatic antigens identical to those of 1 or more of the strains of the same group used for antisera production. Internal antigens were shared by all fast-growing strains and with 7 exceptions by all slow-growing strains. Antigens of cultured rhizobia, and bacteroids from nodules formed on different legumes by the same strain of Rhizobium, were similar. In contrast to cultured cells, bacteroids generally required no pretreatment (heat or ultrasonic disruption) to give a strong somatic antigen reaction in immunodiffusions.