Immunophyletic relationships between Actinomycetales and Eubacteriales determined by examinations of their cytoplasmic antigens

Abstract

Cytoplasms obtained from a total of 205 different strains of Actinomycetales, Eubacteriales, Lower Fungi, and Protozoa were examined against selected anti-cytoplasm antisera using the immunodiffusion and counterimmunoelectrophoresis procedures. Immunological relationships between the different genera have been revealed and, in respect to Eubacteriales, the possible immunophyletic determinants have been discerned. Cytoplasms of Enterobacter, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, and Diplococcus were found to retain the significant linkage determinants between large groups of Eubacteriales and Actinomycetales.Evolutionary implications of the findings are discussed.