Primary Epitopes of Chicken Egg Yolk Antibodies to Peptidophosphogalactomannan

Egg yolks from hens immunized with peptidophosphogalactomannan (pPGalMan(ii)), which contains 10 phosphocholine diester residues and is secreted by Penicillium fellutanum, contain antibodies against 5-O-β-d-galactofuranosyl epitopes. These epitopes were the only significant determinants in pPGalMan(ii). Approximately 60-fold less pPGalMan(ii) (1.6 μM galactofuran chains) was required for 50% inhibition than galactofurano-oligosaccharides or pPGalMan containing two galactofuranosyl residues per chain.