<Original>Preparation and Characterization of the Antibody against the Aldobiouronic acid Unit of Xylan

Abstract

The aldobiouronic acid, 2-O-(4-O-methyl-a-D-glucuronic acid)-D-xylose, which was obtained by partial acid hydrolysis of xylan was coupled to methylated bovine serum albumin (BSA). The resulting sugar-protein conjugate was used as an antigen. Antibodies were raised by immunizing a rabbit with the antigen. The specificities for the antiserum obtained were examined by immunodiffusion analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These results indicate that the antiserum contains antibodies against both BSA and the antigen. After removal of anti-BSA antibody by affinity chromatography, the specificity of the purified antiserum to wood cell wall polysaccharides and their hydrolysates was investigated by ELISA. The antiserum preferentially reacted with the conjugates containing xylan and aldobiouronic acid, which suggests that the antiserum recognizes the aldobiouronic acid unit of xylan.