VARIATION IN THE SEROLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR OF YEASTS OF THE GENUS SACCHAROMYCES TOWARDS FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY

Immuno-fluorescent studies have shown that given populations of many yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces do not react in a uniform manner with anti-yeast sera. The evidence suggests that the antigenic composition of the surface layers of the cell wall is influenced by the physiological state of the cell, the absolute age of the cell being the probable controlling influence. The implications of such variations in response in respect to the practical uses of techniques involving fluorescent antibodies are discussed.