Epitope characterization of sero-specific monoclonal antibody to Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type A

Hybridoma (Larchmt). 2011 Dec;30(6):503-10. doi: 10.1089/hyb.2011.0032.

Abstract

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are extremely potent toxins that can contaminate foods and are a public health concern. Anti-BoNT antibodies have been described that are capable of detecting BoNTs; however there still exists a need for accurate and sensitive detection capabilities for BoNTs. Herein, we describe the characterization of a panel of eight monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) generated to the non-toxic receptor-binding domain of BoNT/A (H(C)50/A) developed using a high-throughput screening approach. In two independent hybridoma fusions, two groups of four IgG MAbs were developed against recombinant H(C)50/A. Of these eight, only a single MAb, F90G5-3, bound to the whole BoNT/A protein and was characterized further. The F90G5-3 MAb slightly prolonged time to death in an in vivo mouse bioassay and was mapped by pepscan to a peptide epitope in the N-terminal subdomain of H(C)50/A (H(CN)25/A) comprising amino acid residues (985)WTLQDTQEIKQRVVF(999), an epitope that is highly immunoreactive in humans. Furthermore, we demonstrate that F90G5-3 binds BoNT/A with nanomolar efficiency. Together, our results indicate that F90G5-3 is of potential value as a diagnostic immunoreagent for BoNT/A capture assay development and bio-forensic analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / immunology*
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
  • Antibody Affinity
  • Antibody Specificity*
  • Antigen-Antibody Reactions
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A / genetics
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A / immunology*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Clostridium botulinum type A / genetics
  • Clostridium botulinum type A / immunology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Epitope Mapping
  • Epitopes / genetics
  • Epitopes / immunology*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays / methods
  • Humans
  • Hybridomas / cytology
  • Hybridomas / immunology
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neutralization Tests
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Epitopes
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A