Improved immunodetection of Taura syndrome virus using a monoclonal antibody specific for heterologously expressed VP1 capsid protein.

vp1, a gene encoding one of the capsid proteins of Taura syndrome virus, was cloned into the pGEX-6P-1 expression vector, and the resulting construct was then used to transform E. coli strain BL21. After induction, an N-terminally glutathione-S-transferase-tagged VP1 (GST-VP1) protein with a molecular mass of 80 kDa was obtained. This protein was purified by SDS-PAGE and used for immunization of Swiss mice for monoclonal antibody (MAb) production. Three MAbs specific for the VP1 protein were selected that were suitable for detecting natural TSV infection in Penaeus vannamei by dot blotting, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. This detection occurs without cross-reaction to other shrimp tissues or other common shrimp viruses. As determined by dot blotting, the detection sensitivity of the MAbs was approximately 2 fmole/spot of the GST-VP1. These MAbs showed detection sensitivity comparable to that of MAbs specific for VP2, but they exhibited stronger immunoreactivity than previously studied MAbs specific for VP3. Although the sensitivity of the MAbs to VP1 was 1,000 times lower than one-step RT-PCR, they could be used in various types of antibody-based assays to confirm and enhance the detection sensitivity of TSV infection in shrimp.