title: Expression from baculovirus and serological reactivity of the nucleocapsid protein of dolphin morbillivirus.
abstract: The nucleocapsid (N) protein of dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) was expressed from a baculovirus (Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus) vector and shown by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis to be about 57 kDa. Transmission electron microscopy revealed fully assembled nucleocapsid-like particles (NLPs) exhibiting the typical helical herringbone morphology. These NLPs were approximately 20-22 nm in diameter and varied in length from 50 to 100 nm. Purified DMV-N protein was used as antigen in an indirect ELISA (iELISA) and shown to react with rabbit and human antisera to measles virus (MV) and dog sera with antibodies to canine distemper virus (CDV). The iELISA was used for the demonstration of morbillivirus antibodies in the serum of cetaceans and manatees, showing potential as a serological tool for the mass screening of morbillivirus antibodies in marine mammals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Maruniak
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia-Maruniak
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Manire
authors.forename: Carlos H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Romero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004285:Dogs; D004289:Dolphins; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018103:Morbillivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D020457:Trichechus manatus
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins