Immunochemistry of Mycococcus and its position within Actinomycetales

Abstract

Cytoplasms, capsules, cell walls, and extracellular antigens or Mycococcus were prepared and examined by selected chemical and immunological methods. Soluble components were separated and purified by the isoelectrofocusing and polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Chemical analysis revealed that the cell walls were composed of phosphatide–mucopolysaccharides. The cytoplasm consisted mainly of nucleoprotein–polysaccharides, and the capsular material was composed of phosphatide–muconucleo-proteins. The culture filtrate antigen consisted mainly of polysaccharide–proteins. The antigen preparations were found to share at least one major antigenic component. The cytoplasm of Mycococcus revealed close immunological relationships to seven cytoplasm serogroups of nocardiae, four serogroups of scotochromogenic mycobacteria, and one cytoplasm serogroup of Dermatophilus. In an overall scheme of biological relationships, Mycococcus appears to be situated between the "lower" (fast-growing) mycobacteria and the "higher" (slow-growing) nocardiae.