Naegleria actin elicits species-specific antibodies.

Actin, the major protein of amebae of Naegleria gruberi, proved to be strongly immunogenic in rabbits. The resulting precipitating antibodies are specific to actin of Naegleria. In a competitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay, these antibodies bound similarly to Naegleria G- and F-actin. Actins from amebae of Acanthamoeba and Dictyostelium, plasmodia of Physarum, sea urchin eggs, and vertebrate muscles gave no competition in the radioimmunoassay. Estimates of the amount of actin in Naegleria amebae ranged from a minimum of 5% of the total cell protein by radioimmunoassay to a maximum of 16% by electrophoresis. The unusual species specificity of these antibodies indicates that Naegleria actin, although conserved in many properties, is different enough to have unique antigenic determinants.