[Study of the Sporothrix schenkii (yeast forms) extract. Electrophoretic and immunoelectrophoretic analyses: characterization of enzymatic activities].

An extract from living yeast forms of S. schenckii was prepared. The yeasts originated from a shake culture in B.H.I. broth (Difco) incubated for 3 days at 35 degrees C in darkness; they were harvested, washed and disrupted with glass beads in a model MSK Braun mechanical cell homogenizer; a freezing-thawing was added to improve the extract. After electrophoretic separation in agarose gel, the extract's components were characterized by their enzymic activity; with this technique, 30 bands were revealed. These enzymic activities were also investigated on the antigenic fractions of the extract revealed by a rabbit hyperimmunserum: 16 among 22 immunoprecipitates are identified by their catalytic properties. Study of the earliest precipitating antibodies (appearing-order and enzymic caracterization) in rabbits just immunized completes this work. How to ameliorate the quality of the extract by culture and extraction conditions is also specified.