title: Development of a functional monoclonal single-chain variable fragment antibody against Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.
abstract: We have generated a single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) antibody, from a previously well-characterized monoclonal antibody (MAb) to Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus, 5B4D-6. The variable regions of the heavy (V(H)) and light (V(L)) chain antibody genes, were connected by a DNA linker and cloned in the phagemid vector pCANTAB5E. The ScFv clone in Escherichia coli strain TG-1, 5B4D-6-6, was expressed as a approximately 30 kDa ScFv protein and higher molecular weight fusion products which were functional in recognizing VEE virus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results were reproduced in Escherichia coli strain HB2151, where clone D66 was expressed mainly as soluble periplasmic protein. The D66 ScFv antibody bound VEE virus strongly as determined by ELISA. Nucleotide sequence analysis of 5B4D-6-6 ScFv indicated that the Vkappa gene belonged to family XVI, subgroup V, while the V(H) gene was unique in its sequence, though its amino acid sequence could be subgrouped as IA. The deduced protein sequence of D66 was highly homologous to published murine ScFv protein sequences. This work demonstrates, for the first time, cloning of a functional ScFv antibody against VEE virus.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: A Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Alvi
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Stadnyk
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Fulton
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Roehrig
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Suresh
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000235:genetics*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004666:Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000276:immunology; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins