DISTRIBUTION, INHERITANCE, AND PROPERTIES OF AN ANTIGEN, MUB1, AND ITS RELATION TO HEMOLYTIC COMPLEMENT

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Abstract
An antigen, MuBl, present in the sera of some mice, can elicit a precipitating antibody in certain other strains of mice, and in rabbits. 99 strains and substrains of inbred mice were tested and MuBl was found in 44 strains (61%) and 14 DBA-substrains (52%). Mice lacking MuBl do not make a modified antigen, corresponding to MuBl, but are genetically deficient in synthetic ability at this site. An antigen corresponding to MuBl was found in 13 of the 15 orders of mammals, and in 63 of 85 species of mammals, tested. The quantity of the antigen MuBl is always greater in the serum of male than in the serum of female mice. The concentration of MuBl increases with age; this increase is more marked in male than in female mice. The inheritance of MuBl is unifactorial, is independent of the inheritance of the gamma globulin allotype MuA2. MuBl is found in the euglobulin fraction of serum; it loses its ability to precipitate with antibody after heating at 56[degree]C, but not after treatment with ammonia or hydrazine. By gel filtration, MuBl is separated with a fraction containing molecules of molecular weights 150,000. An empirical correlation was observed between the presence or absence of MuBl in the sera from inbred mice and the presence or absence of hemolytic complement (Hc), as measured by a test using a high concentration of rabbit hemolysin. In backcross experiments also, a correlation between hemolytic complement and the presence of MuBl was demonstrated. As with MuBl, male mice had a higher hemolytic complement level than females.