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The conventional hybridoma screening and subcloning process is generally considered to be one of the most critical steps in hapten-specific antibody production. It is time-consuming, monoclonality is not guaranteed, and the number of clones that can be screened is limited. Our approach employs a novel hapten-specific labeling technique of hybridoma cells. This allows for fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and single-cell deposition and thereby eliminates the above-mentioned problems. A two-step staining approach is used to detect antigen specificity and antibody expression: in order to detect antigen specificity, hybridoma cells are incubated with a hapten-horseradish peroxidase conjugate (hapten-HRP), which is subsequently incubated with a fluorophore-labeled polyclonal anti-peroxidase antibody (anti-HRP-Alexa Fluor 488). To characterize the expression of membrane-bound immunoglobulin G (IgG), a fluorophore-labeled anti-mouse IgG antibody (anti-IgG-Alexa Fluor 647) is used. Hundreds of labeled hybridoma cells producing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for a hapten were rapidly isolated and deposited from a fusion mixture as single-cell clones via FACS. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measurements of the supernatants of the sorted hybridoma clones revealed that all hapten-specific hybridoma clones secrete antibodies against the target. There are significant improvements using this high-throughput technique for the generation of mAbs including increased yield of antibody-producing hybridoma clones, ensured monoclonality of sorted cells, and reduced development times.

We present two thermoresponsive water soluble copolymers prepared via free radical statistical copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and of oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylates (OEGMAs), respectively, with a solvatochromic 7-(diethylamino)-3-carboxy-coumarin (DEAC)-functionalized monomer. In aqueous solutions, the NIPAm-based copolymer exhibits characteristic changes in its fluorescence profile in response to a change in solution temperature as well as to the presence of a specific protein, namely an anti-DEAC antibody. This polymer emits only weakly at low temperatures, but exhibits a marked fluorescence enhancement accompanied by a change in its emission colour when heated above its cloud point. Such drastic changes in the fluorescence and absorbance spectra are observed also upon injection of the anti-DEAC antibody, attributed to the specific binding of the antibody to DEAC moieties. Importantly, protein binding occurs exclusively when the polymer is in the well hydrated state below the cloud point, enabling a temperature control on the molecular recognition event. On the other hand, heating of the polymer–antibody complexes releases a fraction of the bound antibody. In the presence of the DEAC-functionalized monomer in this mixture, the released antibody competitively binds to the monomer and the antibody-free chains of the polymer undergo a more effective collapse and inter-aggregation. In contrast, the emission properties of the OEGMA-based analogous copolymer are rather insensitive to the thermally induced phase transition or to antibody binding. These opposite behaviours underline the need for a carefully tailored molecular design of responsive polymers aimed at specific applications, such as biosensing

We inserted the sequence of the carcinoembryonic antigen-derived T cell epitope CAP-1-6D (CEA) into different positions of the hamster polyomavirus major capsid protein VP1. Independently from additional flanking linkers, yeast-expressed VP1 proteins harboring the CEA insertion between VP1 amino acid residues 80 and 89 (site 1) or 288 and 295 (site 4) or simultaneously at both positions assembled to chimeric virus-like particles (VLPs). BALB/c mice immunized with adjuvant-free VLPs developed VP1-and epitope-specific antibodies. The level of the CEA-specific antibody response was determined by the insertion site, the number of inserts, and the flanking linker. The strongest CEAspecific antibody response was observed in mice immunized with VP1 proteins harboring the CEA insert at site 1. Moreover, the CEA-specific antibodies in these mice were still detectable 6 mo after the final booster immunization. Our results indicate that hamster polyomavirus-derived VLPs represent a highly immunogenic carrier for foreign insertions that might be useful for clinical and therapeutic applications. 453

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To generate a hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3 (HEV-3)–specific monoclonal antibody (mAb), the Escherichia coli–expressed carboxy-terminal part of its capsid protein was used to immunise BALB/c mice. The immunisation resulted in the induction of HEV-specific antibodies of high titre. The mAb G117-AA4 of IgG1 isotype was obtained showing a strong reactivity with the homologous E. coli, but also yeast-expressed capsid protein of HEV-3. The mAb strongly cross-reacted with ratHEV capsid protein derivatives produced in both expression systems and weaker with an E. coli–expressed batHEV capsid protein fragment. In addition, the mAb reacted with capsid protein derivatives of genotypes HEV-2 and HEV-4 and common vole hepatitis E virus (cvHEV), produced by the cell-free synthesis in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf21) cell lysates. Western blot and line blot reactivity of the mAb with capsid protein derivatives of HEV-1 to HEV-4, cvHEV, ratHEV and batHEV suggested a linear epitope. Use of truncated derivatives of ratHEV capsid protein in ELISA, Western blot, and a Pepscan analysis allowed to map the epitope within a partially surface-exposed region with the amino acid sequence LYTSV. The mAb was also shown to bind to human patient–derived HEV-3 from infected cell culture and to hare HEV-3 and camel HEV-7 capsid proteins from transfected cells by immunofluorescence assay. The novel mAb may serve as a useful tool for further investigations on the pathogenesis of HEV infections and might be used for diagnostic purposes. Key points • The antibody showed cross-reactivity with capsid proteins of different hepeviruses. • The linear epitope of the antibody was mapped in a partially surface-exposed region. • The antibody detected native HEV-3 antigen in infected mammalian cells.