Composition and immunoreactivity of the A60 complex and other cell fractions from Mycobacterium bovis BCG.

Surface static cultures of Mycobacterium bovis BCG contained cells embedded in an extracellular matrix, whose mechanical removal yielded free cells that were pressure disrupted and fractionated into cytoplasm and walls. Cell envelopes were either mechanically disrupted or extracted with detergents. Intracellular and extracellular fractions were analysed for proteins, polysaccharides, and antigen 6O (A60), a major complex immunodominant in tuberculosis.

Composition and immunogenicity of the polysaccharide components of the thermostable macromolecular antigen group of mycobacterial antigens.

The thermostable macromolecular antigen (TMA) group includes major components of the mycobacterial cell envelope and cytoplasm, which elicit humoral and cellular immune reactions, and seems to play important roles in infectious diseases. The best known member of this group, antigen A60 of Mycobacterium bovis BCG, was previously shown to contain three moieties of polysaccharides, free lipids, and polypeptides. In this work, the TMA polysaccharides of three pathogenic mycobacteria (M.

Action of virginiamycin M on the stability of different ribosomal complexes to ultracentrifugation.

It was previously shown that virginiamycin M produces in vivo an accumulation of pressure-sensitive (60 S) ribosomes, and in vitro an inactivation of the donor and acceptor sites of peptidyl transferase. The latter action, however, is expected to cause the accumulation in vivo of ribosome complexes carrying acylated tRNA species: such complexes are usually endowed with pressure resistance. However, present data indicate that poly(U).

Subcellular localisation and sedimentation behaviour of antigen 60 from Mycobacterium bovis BCG.

Preparation, composition and immunological properties of A60 of Mycobacterium bovis BCG were previously described (Cocito and Vanlinden 1986). The present study focused on the intracellular distribution of this antigen. Fractionation of mycobacterial homogenates by ultracentrifugation indicated that most of A60 was present within the cytoplasm.

Metabolism of the TMA group of antigens during the growth cycle of mycobacteria.

The TMA (thermostable macromolecular antigens) group includes A60 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and A7 of M. leprae, active components of tuberculin and lepromin. We have previously described the purification and composition of A60, and its ability to elicit immune reactions of humoral and cellular type.