Precipitating antibodies of the duck (Anas platyrhynchos)

• Published in: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B, Comparative biochemistry Vol. 93; no. 1; p. 135
• Main Author: Higgins, D A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 1989
• Subjects: Animals; Antibody Formation; Chemical Precipitation; Dinitrobenzenes - immunology; Ducks - immunology; Haptens; Immunoglobulin G - biosynthesis; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains - isolation & purification; Molecular Weight
• ISSN: 0305-0491
• DOI: 10.1016/0305-0491(89)90227-7

1. Ducks do not usually produce precipitating antibodies. However, when hyperimmunized with the dinitrophenyl (DNP)-human IgG (HIgG) conjugate, ducks made precipitating antibodies to the HIgG carrier, though not to the DNP hapten. 2. Precipitation did not require NaCl and occurred over a wide range of molarities and pH. 3. Antigenic and polyacrylamide gel analysis of affinity-purified antibodies, indicated that the major constituent of the antibody population was electrophoretically homogeneous 5.7S IgG. 4. The Ig heavy chains were in two populations, viz MW 37,000 and 41,000; non-precipitating duck 5.7S IgG antibodies to HIgG had only the MW 37,000 heavy chains. 5. It is suggested that duck precipitins belong to a previously unrecognized subclass of duck 5.7S IgG, with minor physical and antigenic differences from their non-precipitating counterparts.