Research Article

Studies on the Vibrio cholerae mucinase complex. III. Neutralisation of the neuraminidase activity by specific anti-neuraminidase IgG

Journal of Medical Microbiology 1988; 25(2):123

PubMed

Abstract

A partially-purified neuraminidase from the mucinase complex of Vibrio cholerae was used to prepare a specific anti-neuraminidase antiserum in rabbits. When the neutralising potency of this serum against V. cholerae neuraminidase was assessed in conventional tests, the enzymic activity, as measured by thiobarbituric acid, methoxyphenol-neuraminate and goblet-cell assays, apparently increased. These results are attributable to the presence of a sialylated glycoprotein substrate and small amounts of sialidase in the crude antiserum. However, a twice-purified DEAE-IgG fraction of the antiserum neutralised the enzymic activity of the V. cholerae neuraminidase.