Immunogenic properties of eukaryotic ribosomal proteins.

Pure rat, chicken and kidney bean ribosomal proteins are immunogenic in the rabbit as tested by the Ouchterlony double diffusion technique. On the other hand, we were unable to raise antibodies to rabbit ribosomal proteins in the guinea pig. Rabbit ribosomal proteins are not autoimmunogenic. Rabbit antisera to rat or chicken ribosomal proteins surprisingly give no cross-reaction with ribosomal proteins from other mammals (man, ewe, calf, guinea pig, mice) whereas antisera to kidney bean ribosomal proteins cross-react with lentil ribosomal proteins. It is suggested that the high conservation of ribosomal protein structure in mammals, as shown by two-dimensional electrophoresis, may account for the impossibility of raising antibodies to rabbit ribosomal proteins in the guinea pig and for the absence of any cross-reaction among mammals.