Hemocyanins in spiders, VII. Immunological comparison of the subunits of Eurypelma californicum hemocyanin.

The isolated subunites of Eurypelma californicum hemocyanin were studied by aid of antibodies raised against whole, dissociated hemocyanin. The proportion of impurities was found to be low in almost all subunits. There was no cross reaction between the individual chains, and the total number of antigenically different subunits was found to be seven, confirming results obtained by different methods. If an artificial mixture prepared from purified subunits is compared to whole, dissociated hemocyanin, an overall very similar pattern is obtained but differences appear which are due to specific interaction.--The dimeric subunit 4D was shown to be a heterodimer (asymmetric dimer) composed of chains b and c4.