Host specificity of anticomplement activity by recombinant IxACs from I. ricinus.

We assessed the ability of individual recombinant IxACs proteins to inhibit the alternative pathway (AP) of complement in sera from various vertebrate species as indicated. AP activation was assessed by hemolysis of added rabbit erythrocytes. (+) and (?) indicate the existence or absence of a dose-response relationship between added recombinant proteins and percent inhibition of hemolysis. AH50 value, serum amount (��l) that causes 50 % hemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes in 50 ��l of the AP assay. Host N-�� 1�C7: mammals; 8�C11: birds; 12�C14: Squamates. Values between brackets indicates the n�� individuals from which the serum pools were constituted.