Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
A process for preparing an antigen preparation from bacteria of the species Streptococcus mutans comprising growing bacteria of the species S mutans in a culture medium to produce a cell culture, removing at least the cell walls from said cell culture to leave a protein solution, and separating the antigen preparation from the protein solution by a method of separation which comprises contacting the protein solution with an immobilized antibody, washing unwanted materials from the immobilized antibody and eluting the antigen preparation from the immobilized antibody, wherein the immobilized antibody has a specificity for one or more antigenic proteins which are selected from the group consisting of: (A) proteins which are present on the cell walls of Streptococcus mutans genetic group I, are not extractable from said walls by boiling with 10 g/liter sodium dodecyl sulphate for 20 minutes, have a molecular weight of about 29,000, have an isoelectric point of about 4.1 to 4.5, on treatment with a proteolytic enzyme form no precipitin lines when tested by immunodiffusion against antiserum to sodium dodecyl sulphate extracted cells of Streptococcus mutans and do not cross-react with heart tissue; and (B) proteins which react serologically with antibodies to proteins of group member A.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
A process for preparing an antigen preparation from bacteria of the species Streptococcus mutans comprising growing bacteria of the species S mutans in a culture medium to produce a cell culture, removing at least the cell walls from said cell culture to leave a protein solution, and separating the antigen preparation from the protein solution by a method of separation which comprises contacting the protein solution with an immobilized antibody, washing unwanted materials from the immobilized antibody and eluting the antigen preparation from the immobilized antibody, wherein the immobilized antibody has a specificity for one or more antigenic proteins which are selected from the group consisting of: (A) proteins which are present on the cell walls of Streptococcus mutans genetic group I, are not extractable from said walls by boiling with 10 g/liter sodium dodecyl sulphate for 20 minutes, have a molecular weight of about 29,000, have an isoelectric point of about 4.1 to 4.5, on treatment with a proteolytic enzyme form no precipitin lines when tested by immunodiffusion against antiserum to sodium dodecyl sulphate extracted cells of Streptococcus mutans and do not cross-react with heart tissue; and (B) proteins which react serologically with antibodies to proteins of group member A.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the bacteria is a strain of S mutans genetic group I.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein the bacteria is a strain of serotype c.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the immobilised antibody has a specificity for one or more antigenic proteins which are present on the cell walls of Streptococcus mutans genetic group I, are not extractable from said walls by boiling with 10 g/liter sodium dodecyl sulphate for 20 minutes, have a molecular weight of about 29,000, have an isoelectric point of about 4.1 to 4.5, on treatment with a proteolytic enzyme form no precipitin lines when tested by immunodiffusion against antiserum to sodium dodecyl sulphate extracted cells of Streptococcus mutans and do not cross-react with heart tissue.