Identification and production of pestivirus proteins for diagnostic and vaccination purposes.

Using a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) previously characterized by seroneutralization, immunofluorescence and radioimmunoprecipitation, we have identified Pestivirus proteins useful for diagnostic purposes from the cytopathic Osloss isolate of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). Proteins that should be useful for vaccination have also been analysed. Cell-free translation of RNA from glycoprotein-coding cDNA fragments produced, when synthesized in the presence of canine pancreatic microsomes, two glycosylated proteins that were independently recognized and immunoprecipitated by two distinct classes of neutralizing MAbs. A similar in vitro procedure was carried out on nonstructural protein-coding sequences and allowed to identify a viral translation product that specifically reacted with MAbs directed against the 80 kDA protein of a number of Pestivirus strains. Its positioning within the polyprotein encoded by the viral genome was refined by epitope scanning using synthetic hexameric peptides. This viral antigen was further expressed in E. coli, produced as inclusion bodies and used successfully as an ELISA antigen in both competitive and indirect assays for the detection of BVD antibodies in cattle sera.