Mapping the specificity of an anti-feline immunodeficiency virus monoclonal antibody using a filamentous phage displayed peptide library

摘要

In this study a 15-mer random peptide library displayed on the surface of a filamentous phage has been used to characterise the conformational epitopes recognised by a monoclonal antibody raised against the envelope protein gp120 of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Three mimotopes were identified that reacted with the selecting antibody in an immunoblot assay. Sequence analysis revealed that, whereas the three mimotopes had several amino acids in common, there was no significant homology with the primary amino acid sequence of gp120 although some amino acids were shared between the variable region (V3) and the three mimotopes. It is suggested that peptide mimotopes of complex retroviral glycoproteins may have potential uses as novel vaccines and for the serological diagnosis of FIV.