Production and characterization of antisera raised to the manninotrionate group [alpha-D-Galp-(1----6)-alpha-D-Galp-(1----6)-D-gluconate]

Manninotrionate [alpha-D-Galp-(1----6)-alpha-D-Galp-(1----6)-D-gluconate] was coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA), and antisera were raised in rabbits to this carbohydrate-protein conjugate. The antisera were studied by quantitative precipitation and hapten inhibition. Antisera against the manninotrionate-BSA conjugate showed the greatest reactivity with the homologous manninotrionate-BSA antigen, but also cross-reacted extensively with a manninotrionate-ovalbumin conjugate. The antisera gave weak precipitin reactions with beef-lung galactan, guaran, gum arabic, and larch arabinogalactan. Quantitative hapten-inhibition studies with a series of galactosyloligosaccharides indicated that the antisera possess a high degree of specificity toward terminal alpha-D-Galp-(1----6)-alpha-D-Galp units. The antisera did not agglutinate Ehrlich ascites tumor-cells, which have been demonstrated to contain cell-surface glycoproteins having alpha-D-galactosyl end-groups.