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Comparison of Immunized Mouse Ascites Fluids and Rabbit Sera in Serological Tests of Two Spiroplasmas. C. S. Chen, Former graduate student, Department of Plant Pathology, Cook College, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, 08903; T. A. Chen, professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Cook College, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, 08903. Phytopathology 70:279-282. Accepted for publication 12 September 1979. Copyright 1980 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-70-279.

Mouse ascites fluid prepared against two plant pathogenic spiroplasmas distinguished two spiroplasmas more clearly than did rabbit sera. Ascites fluid was induced with Freund’s complete adjuvant in immunized adult female C₅₇BL/6 mice. Spiroplasma citri (S. citri) and the corn stunt spiroplasma (CS-747, New Jersey isolate) were used as antigens. Deformation, metabolic inhibition and growth inhibition tests were used to assess the relationship between S. citri and CS-747 and the immunospecificity and sensitivity of ascites fluid and antiserum. In the growth inhibition test, ascites fluid distinguished S. citri and CS-747 completely, reflecting a high degree of specificity. Both spiroplasma deformation and metabolic inhibition tests showed similar results although a small degree of cross reaction between the two spiroplasmas was detected. When rabbit sera were used for the same tests the titers for homologous and heterologous reactions were less distinct. The method of producing antibodies from mouse ascites fluid also offers several advantages: it requires less antigen to produce high titer of antibodies in the ascites fluid; the immunization time is relatively short; the animals can be held for continual antibody production; and only a few animals are required so that a large holding space is not needed.