Monoclonal Antibodies Specific For Antigens In Plague Vaccine, Including The Fraction I Protein Of Yersinia Pestis

Abstract

UC Berkeley scientists have identified several monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) that recognize several antigens in bubonic plague vaccine, including the Y. pestis Fraction I protein (F1) which is a universal indicator antigen in plague serology. These Mabs may be used to quantify antigens including F1 in commercially produced plague vaccine, for epitope mapping and determination of structure of these antigens as reagents for efficient immunoaffinity purification of the antigens, to screen recombinant hosts expressing cloned F1, and as reference reagents for analyzing the humoral immune response to plague infection and vaccination in animals and humans.