title: High avidity binding of engineered papaya mosaic virus virus-like particles to resting spores of Plasmodiophora brassicae.
abstract: Papaya mosaic virus (PapMV) like particles (VLPs) were used as a platform for fusion of affinity peptides binding to resting spores of Plasmodiophora brassicae-a major pathogen of crucifers. Three peptides with specific affinity to the target were isolated and cloned at the C-terminus of the PapMV coat protein (CP), generating three different high avidity VLPs. The peptides were exposed at the surface of the VLPs and their avidity to resting spores of P. brassicae was measured by flow cytometry. NLP-A, with the peptide DPAPRPR, showed the highest avidity. The binding avidity of NLP-A to P. brassicae spores was comparable to that of a polyclonal antibody. NLP-A was also shown to be more specific than the antibody. Fusion of the affinity peptide to a monomeric form (mCP) of the CP [Lecours, K., Tremblay, M.-H., Laliberté Gagné, M.-E., Gagné, S.M., Leclerc, D., 2006. Purification and biochemical characterization of a monomeric form of papaya mosaic potexvirus coat protein. Protein Express. Purific. 47, 273-280] generated a fusion protein that was unable to assemble into VLPs, and mCP-A fusions failed to bind resting spores. The avidity of VLP-A was increased by adding a glycine spacer between the C-terminus of the PapMV CP and the peptide, and improved even further by using a duplicated A peptide in the fusion protein. The use of high avidity VLPs has advantages over polyclonal antibodies because of target specificity. VLPs offers the specificity of monoclonal antibodies but can be more easily generated using the powerful selection of phage display.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Research Centre, University Laval, Pav. CHUL, CHUQ, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, PQ, Canada G1V 4G2.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Plante
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paré
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Majeau
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hogue
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leclerc
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D029441:Carica / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D019151:Peptide Library; D017863:Potexvirus / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013170:Spores / Q000378:metabolism; D019065:Virus Assembly
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D019151:Peptide Library; D012987:Soil