Antibodies elicited by defined oligodeoxyribonucleotide sequences.

Antibodies to the oligodeoxyribonucleotides d(pT)3, d(pT)4, d(pT)6 and d(pA-A-T-T) were elicited in rabbits by immunization with electrostatic complexes of the respective haptens with methylated bovine serum albumin (MBSA). The antisera were assayed by complement fixation using denatured DNA's of various sources as antigens. The specificities of the antibodies were determined by estimating the inhibition of the complement fixation reaction by defined oligodeoxyribonucleotides. The antibodies were shown to be specific for the sequence of the oligode-oxyribonucleotides or parts of it.