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Strain‐Specific Monoclonal Antibodies to a Nontoxic Tall Fescue Endophyte
Author(s) -
Hill N. S.,
Hiatt E. E.,
Bouton J. H.,
Tapper B.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci2002.1627
Subject(s) - biology , endophyte , festuca arundinacea , tiller (botany) , monoclonal antibody , festuca , antibody , cultivar , neotyphodium , poaceae , botany , immunology , lolium perenne
Use of proprietary nontoxic endophytes that have been introduced into tall fescue provides a value‐added product to livestock producers consuming cool season grass species. A need exists to have a rapid screening method to monitor seed and fields of the cool season species containing nontoxic endophytes. Neotyphodium coenophialum strain AR542, was isolated by AgResearch, New Zealand, and has been introduced into improved tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) cultivars in the USA. The objective of this research was to develop monoclonal antibodies specific to AR542 and test the antibodies for cross reaction with other nontoxic endophytes and endemic toxic endophytes of tall fescue. Antigenic proteins were isolated from AR542 and vaccinated into three mice ( Mus musculus ). Splenic hybridoma cell lines were screened for affinity to AR542, N. coenophialum isolate EDN11, and other ascomycetes. Two cell lines expressing specificity to AR542 were identified. Comparative analysis was conducted to examine the specificity of the AR542‐specific test and with a nonspecific antibody test. Seed and tiller samples had endophyte values greater than 67 and 90% infection, respectively, when tested with the nonspecific test. Minor spurious false positives occurred in seed and vegetative tissues when tested with AR542‐specific antibodies, but only seeds and tiller tissues containing AR542 were similar to the nonspecific test. Therefore, AR542‐specific antibodies may be an efficient means to test for presence of N. coenophialum strain AR542 in tall fescue.