SEROLOGICAL REACTIONS OF PROTEIN FILMS AND DENATURED PROTEINS

Films of several proteins, hen ovalbumin, horse and human serum albumins, and globulins were found to combine specifically with antibodies, showing that the reactions can take place independently of the structure which secures the compact shape of the protein molecule. Serum globulin films differed from ovalbumin in that they lost their reactivity when kept on the water surface. Species specific reactions were observed with films of serum albumin and suitably diluted antisera, and likewise in the customary precipitin tests in which immune sera for denatured hen ovalbumin were tested against ovalbumin of other species. Specific fixation was also observed upon exposing monolayers of purified antibodies for pneumococci of Types I and III to the corresponding polysaccharides.