Monoclonal antibodies to turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) immunoglobulins: characterization and applicability in immunoassays.

Five monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to immunoglobulins (Igs) of the turbot Scophthalmus maximus were produced and characterized. All the mAbs (denominated UR1, UR3, UR4, UR6 and UR7) are of isotype IgG1/kappa and show good anti-turbot Ig reactivity in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting. Results of competitive ELISA and immunoblotting analysis indicate that these five mAbs react with at least three different epitopes on the turbot Ig H chain. Except in the case of UR1, reactivity with periodate-treated purified turbot Ig was much lower than with the untreated Ig, suggesting that carbohydrate residues are involved in epitope recognition. All the mAbs showed reactivity with sera from the closely related species Scophthalmus rhombus but not with sera from species of other flatfish genera. One of these mAbs (UR3) has been successfully applied for the detection of antibodies against Vibrio anguillarum in ELISA.