Agglutinins from Fish Ova Defining Blood Groups B and P

Extracts of mature ova from Salmo trutta, Clupea harengus and Rutilus rutilus , contain agglutinins for human erythrocytes. The agglutinins are insensitive to 2‐mercaptoethanol and EDTA and show differences in stability and agglutination reaction in differing pH environments. Both Clupea harengus and Salmo trutta extracts strongly agglutinate human group B red cells and less strongly A 1 P and OP cells; A 1 pp and Opp cells are not agglutinated. The anti‐B and anti‐’P’ specificities thus defined are not separable by absorption. All three agglutinating extracts have a high affinity for d ‐galactosyl and l ‐rhamnosyl groupings, including blood group B substance and P 1 substance from sheep hydatid cyst fluids.