INFECTION PROTECTIVE PROPERTY OF COMMON ANTIGEN (OEP) OF PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA AND ITS CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 47  (5) , 393-402
Abstract
The protein moiety (OEP) of the P. aeruginosa endotoxin is a proteinaceous compound composed of 77% protein and a small amount of lipid and sugar. The antigen possesses a common protective property against [mouse] P. aeruginosa infections regardless of serotype; it also possesses an antigen common to all the serotype strains of P. aeruginosa. When OEP was subjected to protease digestion (protease-treated OEP), the protein content was reduced to 17% without a change in the lipid and sugar composition. The protease-treated OEP no longer possessed a serologically common antigen and also lost the common protective property against infections due to all the serotypes of P. aeruginosa. A serologically common antigen (OEP) as well as a common infection protective property resides in a protein portion of the antigen.