Monoclonal antibodies to the S1 spike and membrane proteins of avian infectious bronchitis coronavirus strain Massachusetts M41.

We have established four murine hybridoma cell lines which secrete specific antibody to avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strain Massachusetts M41. Two monoclonal antibodies reacted with the spike protein and two reacted with the membrane protein. The specificity of the monoclonal antibodies for the external structural proteins was detected by immunoprecipitations using radiolabelled virus. The reactions of the monoclonal antibodies showed that one (S1) of the two glycopolypeptides associated with the spike protein has a strain-specific region involved in neutralization and haemagglutination, and the membrane protein has antigenic determinants which are present on the three strains of IBV tested (M41, Beaudette and D41).