Identification of antigens within the so-called vaccinia L-S complex by means of quantitative immunoelectrophoresis.

The so-called L-S antigen complex of vaccinia virus antigens was studied using gel diffusion and various immunoelectrophoresis methods. The low resolution power of the gel diffusion method and the inconsistency of the results obtained rendered this method unsuitable for identification of individual antigens and for comparative studies. The sensitivity and simplicity of counter current electrophoresis showed the superiority of this method for rapid diagnosis of pox-virus infections. Simple rocket or line electrophoresis could not be used to distinguish the antigens. The height of the individual rockets and the position of the lines were greatly influenced by the strain of virus and the antibody composition of the antiserum. Crossed and crossed-line electrophoresis gave distinct and reproducible patterns which may provide a basis for further studies of vaccinia precipitinogens. The presumed L-S antigen complex was composed of two distinct antigens. The L antigen was more negatively charged and showed an approximate S value of 10 as compared to 7S for the S antigen.