Electron-Microscopic Study on the Agglutination Reaction with Purified Bacterial Flagella

The flagella of Bacillus Proteus were purified according to Fukumi's method. To these purified flagella, antiserum and human γ-globulin were added, and the morphological change was electron microscopically observed. The results were briefly summarized as follows: 1) For the purification of flagella, homogenation for 15 seconds is the best. 2) The purified flagella of Bacillus proteus had a rope structure. 3) After the addition of antiserum, agglutination figure of flagella was electron-microscopically observed. 4) The enlargement of flagella, however, could not be observed after the addition of antiserum. 5) The grade of agglutination of flagella goes in parallel with the grade of dilution of antiserum 6) The addition of human γ-globulin did not cause agglutination, and there was observed only the adsorbing figure of globulin particles on them.