Identification of the Immobilization Antigens of Paramecium by Their Cyanogen Bromide Cleavage Patterns1

Immobilization antigens from 12 serotypes of three stocks of Paramecium tetraurelia and from one serotype of one stock of P. primaurelia were isolated and purified. Purified proteins were cleaved with cyanogen bromide, and the patterns of the fragment peptides were determined by electrophoresis on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. It was shown that each of the serotypes of stock 51 of P. tetraurelia has an antigen that produces a characteristic and unique pattern. Consequently, the antigens can be identified by their patterns. Antigens from the allelic serotypes tested had identical patterns. The method is sensitive enough for the investigation of small sample volumes, and useful as a simple biochemical technique for the identification of serotypes.