Antigenic analysis of the coat protein of beet necrotic yellow vein virus by means of monoclonal antibodies

Epitope mapping on fragments of beet necrotic yellow vein virus coat protein

“…Predicted antigenic areas in other parts of the CP aa sequence were recognized by neither PAbs nor MAbs. Each of the five SDS-stable epitopes on BNYVV CP reacted specifically with some MAbs for which we know the binding sites on the virus particles from either previous Koenig et al, 1990a) or the present studies. This enabled us to map the position of these five epitopes on the virus particle (Fig.…”

“…the N terminus (aa 1 to 7), the C terminus (aa 180 to 188) and the regions between aa 37 and 59, 115 and 125, and 125 and 140. Previous studies with untreated and trypsintreated virus particles had already suggested that Cterminal aa 183 to 188 participate in the formation of an epitope, designated epitope 4 (Koenig et al, 1990a). With E. coli-expressed fragments of BNYVV CP we have located this epitope to a similar region, i.e.…”

“…aa 180 to 188. The position of epitope 3, which was formerly located in the region between aa 1 and 103 (Koenig et al, 1990a), has now been mapped more precisely in the region between aa 37 and 59. Since the FP containing aa 37 to 59 reacted more strongly with MAbs 41 and 47 than the FP containing aa 43 to 59 and the FP containing aa 1 to 43 showed no reactivity, jt seems likely that it is mainly the N-terminal part of the sequence between aa 43 and 59 which contributes to the formation of epitope 3, but that, in addition, there is also some involvement of the Cterminal part of the sequence between aa 37 and 43.…”

“…epitope 5 along the entire length and epitope 2 on one extremity of the particle (Koenig et al, 1990a). We do not know which parts of the CP amino acid sequence participate in their formation.…”

“…In previous studies Koenig et al, 1990a) we have demonstrated the presence of five different epitopes on particles of beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV). Epitope 1 (the term 'epitope' is used in the singular throughout the text, but preliminary results of scanning experiments with synthetic peptides to overlapping regions of the virus CP suggest that at least some of the antigenic regions described here consist of a number of closely spaced, overlapping epitopes) is exposed only on one extremity of the particle, whereas epitopes 2 and 3 are exposed on the opposite one.…”