ANTIGENIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PATHOGENIC BEAUVERIA-BASSIANA WITH ENGYODONTIUM-ALBUM (=B-ALBA) AND NONPATHOGENIC SPECIES OF THE GENUS BEAUVERIA

Exoantigenic extracts of 15 isolates belonging to hyalohyphomycosis-ca using Beauveria bassiana (1), and Engyodontium album (1), as well as o ther species of the genus Beauveria (one isolate each of B. brogniarti i, B. densa, B. stephanoderis, B. velata, B. vermiconia and six isolat es of unknown Beauveria species) were studied. Aqueous-merthiolated ex tracts derived from 10-day-old Sabouraud's dextrose agar slant culture s (25 degrees C) were concentrated (25X), and reacted against rabbit a nti-B. bassiana serum in the presence of partially purified homologous antigen (20X) prepared from 5-week-old shaken cultures (30 degrees C) , using a microimmunodiffusion procedure. Beauveria bassiana reference antigen and antiserum reacted to produce four bands of identity. With the exception of E. album, which was negative, extracts of the isolat es of B. brogniartii, B, densa, B. stephanoderis, B, velata, B. vermic onia and the unknown Beauveria species all produced 2-4 lines of ident ity against the homologous anti-B, bassiana serum. These results sugge sted that all the species of the genus Beauveria tested were antigenic ally related to B. bassiana. Engyodontium album demonstrated antigenic distinctness, however, from B. bassiana and thus supported the validi ty of this taxon.