Purification of staphylococcal enterotoxins A and E by immunoaffinity chromatography using a murine monoclonal antibody with dual specificity for both of these toxins.

An immunosorbent column was prepared by coupling a murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) with dual specificity for staphylococcal enterotoxins A (SEA) and E (SEE) to Affi-Gel 10. Purification of both SEA and SEE from culture supernatants was carried out with the immunosorbent column using 0.2 M acetic acid containing 0.15 M NaCl as eluant. The yields obtained were approximately 76% for SEA and 70% for SEE. Purified SEA and SEE were found to be immunologically and electrophoretically homogeneous. Immunoaffinity chromatography using a MAb with dual specificity proved to be valuable in the purification of SEA and SEE, not only from the standpoint of percentage recovery, but also because of the degree of purity and the ease of purification.