Multiple Discrete Components of the Univalent Fragments of Rabbit Antibodies

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Abstract
Summary: Specifically purified antibodies were prepared from the serum of individual rabbits or pooled sera from several rabbits hyperimmunized with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or ovalbumin. These were digested with papain and fractionated by column chromatography into the three major Porter fractions (I, II, III). When subjected to disk electrophoresis, Fractions I and II each showed at least four components and Fraction III, three major components. Anti-BSA antibodies obtained from single rabbits gave essentially the same results as antibody prepared from pooled antiserum. The intact specifically purified antibodies were shown to separate into two components by moving boundary electrophoresis. Sedimentation analysis, immunoelectrophoresis, and radioimmunoelectrophoresis showed the antibody preparations used were of the (160,000 MW) γ-globulin class. Immunoelectrophoresis of Fraction I and Fraction II showed a continuous distribution in electrophoretic mobility but did not separate into discrete bands. The results suggest the presence of a limited number of discrete families of antibody molecules.

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