title: A highly specific competitive direct enzyme immunoassay for sterigmatocystin as a tool for rapid immunochemotaxonomic differentiation of mycotoxigenic Aspergillus species.
abstract: A simplified method to produce specific polyclonal rabbit antibodies against sterigmatocystin (STC) was established, using a STC-glycolic acid-ether derivative (STC-GE) conjugated to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (immunogen). The competitive direct enzyme immunoassay (EIA) established for STC had a detection limit (20% binding inhibition) of 130 pg ml-1. The test was highly specific for STC, with minor cross-reactivity with O-methylsterigmatocystin (OMSTC, 0·87%) and negligible reactivity with aflatoxins (<0·02%). STC-EIA was used in combination with a previously developed specific EIA for aflatoxins (<0·1% cross-reactivity with STC and OMSTC), to study the STC/aflatoxin production profiles of reference strains of Aspergillus species. This immunochemotaxonomic procedure was found to be a convenient tool to identify STC- or aflatoxin-producing strains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The carcinogenic mycotoxin sterigmatocystin (STC) is produced by several Aspergillus species, either alone or together with aflatoxins. Here, we report a very simple and straightforward procedure to obtain highly sensitive and specific anti-STC antibodies, and their use in the first ever real STC-specific competitive direct enzyme immunoassay (EIA). In combination with a previous EIA for aflatoxins, this study for the first time demonstrates the potential of a STC/aflatoxin EIA pair for what is branded as 'immunochemotaxonomic' identification of mycotoxigenic Aspergillus species. This new analytical tool enhances analytical possibilities for differential analysis of STC and aflatoxins.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Dairy Science, Institute of Veterinary Food Science, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wegner
authors.affiliation: Chair of Dairy Science, Institute of Veterinary Food Science, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Chair of Hygiene and Technology of Milk, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Chair of Hygiene and Technology of Milk, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Märtlbauer
authors.affiliation: Chair of Dairy Science, Institute of Veterinary Food Science, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Usleber
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, Chair of Food Safety, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gottschalk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Food Science, Junior Professorship of Veterinary Food Diagnostics, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013241:Sterigmatocystin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D000906:Antibodies; D013241:Sterigmatocystin; C039904:O-methylsterigmatocystin
keywords: 
  Aspergillus
  ; aflatoxin; immunoassay; mycotoxin; polycolonal antibodies; sterigmatocystin