title: New monoclonal antibody specific for Candida albicans germ tube.
abstract: Hydrophobic components of the germ tube of the dimorphic pathogenic fungus Candida albicans were used as immunogens to prepare monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Among the resulting MAbs, one (MAb 16B1-F10) was shown by indirect immunofluorescence to be specific to the surface of the mycelium phase of the C. albicans and C. stellatoidea species. No labeling of any other genera and Candida species tested was observed, including C. dubliniensis, a newly described species which has many phenotypic similarities to C. albicans. This phase-specific epitope resides on a protein moiety. The molecular mass of the antigen released by Zymolyase digestion was determined by gel filtration and ranges from 25 to 166 kDa. The antigen was also shown to be highly hydrophobic. This anti-C. albicans cell wall surface-specific MAb may be a good candidate for use in tests for the rapid differentiation of the two closely related species C. albicans and C. dubliniensis.
authors.affiliation: Groupe d'Etude des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et d'Ingénierie de la Santé, 49100 Angers, France. agnes.marot@univ-angers.fr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marot-Leblond
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grimaud
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nail
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bouterige
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Apaire-Marchais
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robert
mesh_terms: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal