title: Generation and characterization of a monoclonal antibody against prM protein of West Nile virus.
abstract: West Nile virus (WNV), which is an emerging pathogenic flavivirus with increasing distribution worldwide, is the cause of major human and animal health concerns. The pre-membrane (prM) protein of WNV is cleaved during maturation by the furin protease into the structural protein M and a pr-segment. In this study we generated and characterized a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against the WNV prM protein. Western blot analysis showed that the MAb reacted with WNV prM specifically. Immunohistochemistry assays demonstrated that the MAb recognized native prM protein in transfected BHK-21 cells. Preliminary studies were performed to identify the epitope recognized by the MAb using a set of synthesized overlapping peptides spanning the whole length of the prM protein. The MAb reported here may provide a valuable tool for the further exploration of the biological properties and functions of the prM protein and may also be developed for potential clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China .
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: Xiao-Lei
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-Gao
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.forename: Rong-Hong
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Hua
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C074932:prM protein, Flavivirus