Crossed immunoelectrophoretic analysis of Flavobacterium meningosepticum and allied Flavobacterium taxa.

A total of 55 different antigens were demonstrated in pooled lysate of six Flavobacterium meningosepticum strains by crossed immunoelectrophoresis against homologous rabbit antibody. The six strains used represented the two DNA relatedness groups within this species. All 52 strains of F. meningosepticum investigated were found to cross-react with 53 to 55 of these F. meningosepticum reference antigens. Using this F. meningosepticum reference system, cross-reactions between the F. meningosepticum reference antigen and antigens from representatives of other Flavobacterium taxa were also investigated. A positive correlation was demonstrated between the number of cross-reacting antigens and the taxonomic relatedness of the investigated taxa as determined by other classification methods, including DNA-DNA hybridization. The crossed immunoelectrophoretic techniques were not useful in differentiating the two main DNA groups of F. meningosepticum.