Serological Relationships of Corynebacteria

Abstract

SUMMARY: The serological relationships between 39 strains of pathogenic corynebacteria from man, animals and plants were studied by precipitin, double gel-diffusion, and immuno-electrophoretic techniques, with polysaccharides and nucleoproteins as antigens. Five distinct serological groups were established among the plant pathogenic corynebacteria: (1) Corynebacterium flaccumfaciens, C. flaccumfaciens var. aurantiacum, C. poinsettiae and C. betae; (2) C. michiganense and C. insidiosum. (3) C. tritici and C. rathayi; (7) C. sepedonicum; and (5) C. facians. C. diphtheriae (type gravis, mitis, intermedius, and atypical forms), C. hoffmanii, (syn. C. pseudodiphtheriticum) and the animal pathogens C. equi, C. renale and C. kutscheri belonged to two or three serological groups. The plant pathogen C. fascians appeared to occupy an intermediate position between the plant and animal pathogens, and shared many antigens in common with the plant pathogens in group 1 and the animal pathogens. Other cross-relationships were detected between the groups. An immuno-electrophoretic study was made of protein fractions from the plant pathogenic bacteria.