title: Generation and characterisation of monoclonal antibodies to Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) prion protein.
abstract: We report the production and characterisation of three monoclonal antibodies to the prion protein (PrP) of Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), a piscine protein with characteristic structural features common to mammalian prion protein. All of the antibodies were used to detect PrP in ELISA, Western blot and by immunohistochemistry. The antibodies showed specificity for certain genera of the Salmonidae, binding to PrP of Rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) but not to that from Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Using the immunoreagents in Western blots, we demonstrated that O. mykiss PrP protein is a 64 kDa protein present in brain, spinal chord and optic nerve. PrP was not detected in a range of peripheral tissues: eye, heart, stomach, intestine, liver, kidney, spleen, muscle and skin. Furthermore, PrP could be detected in all brain regions studied: optic lobe, cerebrum/olfactory lobe, cerebellum, hypothalamus/pituitary and medulla oblongata and was widespread within these tissues as determined by immunohistochemistry. These immunoreagents provide specific tools to study the biology of Rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon PrP and any possible transmissible spongiform encephalopathy-like disease of these economically important fish species.
authors.affiliation: ADAS, Animal Health and Welfare, Biotechnology Group, Department of Biology, University of Leicester, Adrian Building, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, Leicestershire, UK.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Maddison
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Conlon
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oidtmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baier
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Whitelam
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Gough
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss / Q000276:immunology*; D011328:Prions / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011328:Prions