378 IMMUNO-CATALYSIS 



As discussed in Part I of this treatise, precipitating and anaphy- 

 lactic antibodies have been produced against crystalHne catalases. As in 

 the above serological studies with hemoglobin, the heme, the prosthetic 

 group of catalase, did not react with antibeef catalase either in precipi- 

 tation or in inhibition tests. Beef hemoglobin as test antigen also failed 

 to give any reaction, showing that the antibody is specific only to 

 catalase, and anti-heme is absent in the anti-catalase serum. 



A few investigators have sought to determine whether the activity 

 of catalase is lowered when combined with catalase antibody. Camp- 

 bell and Fourt (1939) reported hardly any loss of activity if the mix- 

 ture of antigen and antiserum was diluted directly, and a variable 

 loss if the precipitate was resuspended by ordinary shaking and stirring, 

 after having been centrifuged. The evidence appears to be inconclusive 

 in view of the possible dissociation in dilute reaction mixtures. 

 Harkins, et ah (1940) using multilayer technique concluded that the 

 undissociated catalase-anticatalase compound shows enzymic activity. 

 The activity per gm. of adsorbed catalase was only a fifth to a tenth of 

 that in solution. This observation was considered by the authors as 

 tentative for two reasons: (1) the Kat. f. (activity) in solution is lower 

 than for some solutions of crystalline catalase, which indicates the 

 presence of denatured protein or an impurity which might be pref- 

 erentially adsorbed, reducing the activity on the plates; (2) the effect 

 of drying and aging may have impaired the activity, independent of 

 the effects of adsorption alone. In view of the possible interference of 

 the factors considered by these investigators the question as stated above 

 remains unanswered. 



It is generally known that those conjugated foreign proteins which 

 contain prosthetic groups common to the species of animal under- 

 going immunization do not stimulate the formation of specific anti- 

 body against the prosthetic group. Antibody is produced against the 

 protein moiety. Heidelberger and Landsteiner (1923) produced 

 specific antibody against crystalline horse oxy-hemoglobin. In precipita- 

 tion tests the immune serum reacted species specifically with homol- 

 ogous antigen, and somewhat weakly with the hemoglobin of the 

 closely related donkey; it failed to react with the hemoglobin solu- 

 tions of pig, ox, sheep, goat, rabbit, guinea pig, rat, mouse, chicken 



