title: Detection of Maedi-Visna virus antibodies using a single fusion transmembrane-core p25 recombinant protein ELISA and a modified receiver-operating characteristic analysis to determine cut-off values.
abstract: The core p25 and transmembrane (TM) genes of Maedi-Visna virus (MVV) were cloned individually into the pGEX-2T expression vector. Both proteins were expressed as a combined fusion protein in frame with glutathione S-transferase (GST). The purified recombinant antigens (GST-TM and GST-TM-p25) were used to develop a MVV ELISA. A preliminary assessment of the diagnostic potential of the recombinant antigens (GST-TM and GST-TM-p25) was made by testing the antigens against 46 seropositive and 46 seronegative sheep and comparing the results with a commercial p25 ELISA kit. A two-graph receiver operating characteristic (TG-ROC) analysis program was used to interpret the data. The GST-TM-p25 ELISA was more sensitive than the commercial assay which is based on the p25 antigen alone and more specific than the GST-TM ELISA.
authors.affiliation: Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, South Africa.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Boshoff
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dungu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vorster
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Conradie
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Verwoerd
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: York
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012756:Sheep; D016182:Visna / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D014790:Visna-maedi virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins