Molecular recognition specificity of Bacillus globigii spore antibodies.

Western blotting methods have been used to assess the specificity of polyclonal antibodies raised against Bacillus globigii spore and vegetative cell preparations. None of the antibodies studied were completely species-specific in their recognition of spore surface epitopes. One polyclonal serum recognized several spore surface epitopes and demonstrated limited cross-reaction with the spore surface of the near-neighbour species B. subtilis. A second polyclonal serum, raised against aged spore antigens, recognized damaged spore epitopes primarily. Both of these antibodies also cross-reacted with vegetative cell epitopes present in all four Bacillus species (B. globigii, B. subtilis, B. cereus and B. anthracis) studied.