Morphological, chemical and antigenic characterization of M-1 N-acetylmuramidase-digested cell walls of the oral pathogenic bacterium Actinomyces viscosus T14V and T14AV.

The cell walls were enzymically solubilized with M-1 N-acetylmuramidase. The minimum amount of enzyme required for maximum response was 70 micrograms/mg of wall. The action of the enzyme seemed localized, producing holes in the wall structure. Chemistry and morphology suggested that all of the wall was solubilized. Antigenically, anti-T14AV formed precipitates with 11-14 antigens from the solubilized walls, of which 3 are unique to strain T14AV. Many of these antigens have not been observed previously due to the physical and/or chemical degradation associated with the extraction procedures. Antisera prepared against strain T14V whole cells formed precipitates with only a few antigens common to both strains. The results suggest that immunological processing and/or surface localization of these antigens are different.