Comparison of an antibody and its recombinant derivative for the detection of the small molecule explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene.

Antibodies are commonly used as recognition elements in immunoassays because of their high specificity and affinity, and have seen extensive use in competitive assays for the detection of small molecules. However, these complex molecules require production either in animals or by mammalian cell cultures, and are not easily tailored through genetic manipulation. Single chain antibodies (scFv), recombinantly expressed molecules consisting of only the antibody's binding region joined via a linking peptide, can provide an alternative to intact antibodies. We describe the characterization of a new monoclonal antibody (mAb), 2G5B5, able to detect the small molecule explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and the scFv derived from its variable regions. The mAb and scFv were tested by surface plasmon resonance to determine their affinity for an immobilized TNT surrogate; dissociation constants were determined to be 1.5×10(-13) M and 4.8×10(-10) M respectively. Circular dichroism was used to determine their melting temperatures. The mAb is more stable melting at ∼75°C while the scFv melts at ∼65°C. The recognition elements were incorporated into a competitive assay format using a bead-based multiplexing platform to examine their sensitivity and specificity. The scFv was able to detect TNT ∼10-fold more sensitively than the mAb in this assay format, allowing detection of TNT concentrations down to at least 1 μg L(-1). The 2G5B gave similar detection limits to a commercial anti-TNT mAb, but was less specific, recognizing 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) equally well as TNT.