Epitopes of bovine leukemia virus glycoprotein gp51 recognized by sera of infected cattle and sheep.
Sera of BLV-infected cattle and sheep are tested for their reactivity with different gp51 subregions by competition with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies directed against 8 different gp51 epitopes. Sheep antisera are found to be very polyvalent, since they are able to displace the fixation of any of the mouse monoclonal antibodies to gp51. Bovine antisera do not display significant competition with monoclonal antibodies direct against 5 out of 8 gp51 epitopes. The bovine antibody response to gp51 is focused to a limited subregion of this molecule, bearing 3 epitopes (F, G and H) recognized by antibodies with virus-neutralizing activity. The differential reactivity of cattle and sheep antisera to BLV gp51 is discussed in relation to the pathology of BLV infection in these two species.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D002417:Cattle; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis*; D007106:Immune Sera; D001909:Leukemia Virus, Bovine / Q000032:analysis*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000382:microbiology; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000032:analysis*; D012756:Sheep; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000939:Epitopes; D007106:Immune Sera; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins