Detection of antigenic fractions from Brucella abortus S45/20 which bind to non-agglutinating antibodies using electroblotting and enzyme-linked antibody probes.

Outer membrane antigens which bind to non-agglutinating antibodies (NAAb) elicited by smooth (S19) and rough (S45/20) Brucella abortus strains, were extracted from S45/20 by stirring in cold 2.5% NaCl and then analyzed by SDS-PAGE, electroblotting and enzyme-linked antibody test. Eight bands were observed in the gel stained with Coomassie blue. Seven antigenic fractions were transferred to nitrocellulose by blotting. A 27-kd band was recognized by bovine anti-S45/20 non-agglutinating serum and not by purified NAAb against surface antigens. Bands 10 kd and 14.3 kd bound to bovine anti-S45/20 NAAb from calves immunized with either S19 or S45/20. A 12.0-kd band was recognized by the serum and NAAb from calves immunized with S45/20 but not by those injected with S19. There are thus antigenic fractions shared by S19 and S45/20 which bind in vitro to NAAb.