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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1965 March; 13(2): 132-139
Copyright © 1965 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Physicochemical and Biological Studies on Various Preparations of Tuberculin Purifield Protein Derivative

Connaught Medical Research Laboratories, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT

Tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) has been prepared by seven different precipitation methods from culture filtrate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. hominis. It was found to contain 48 to 99% tuberculoprotein, depending on the method of precipitation. The remaining percentage is represented by nucleic acid, polysaccharide, and ash. Activation analysis on tuberculin PPD and on tubercle bacilli has revealed the presence of trace elements. The molecular weight of tuberculin PPD has been found to be of the order of 14,800 to 27,800. The biological activity of tuberculin PPD varies from lot to lot and from method to method. A correlation between its molecular weight and its biological activity seems to exist.