Species-specificity of monoclonal antibodies recognising Prevotella intermedia and Prevotella nigrescens |
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| Authors: | Deirdre A. Devine,Michelle A. Pearce,Saheer E. Gharbia,Haroun N. Shah,Ronald A. Dixon,Rudolf Gmü r |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP, UK; Department of Microbiology, Eastman Dental Institute, University of London, UK; Department of Medical Microbiology, St Bartholemew's Hospital Medical College, University of London, UK; Department of Oral Microbiology and General Immunology, Dental Institute, University of Zürich, Switzerland |
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| Abstract: | Abstract Prevotella intermedia and Prevotella nigrescens are not easily distinguished, making it difficult to assess their roles in disease. This study examined the specificity of three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for these species. Differentiation between P. intermedia (13 isolates) and P. nigrescens (24 isolates) was by the electrophoretic mobility of their malate and glutamate dehydrogenase enzymes or by DNA homology grouping. All P. intermedia reacted strongly with mAb 40BI3.2.2 whereas P. nigrescens strains did not. Monoclonal antibodies 37BI6.1 and 39BI1.1.2 recognised all strains of both species but most P. nigrescens reacted weakly with mAb 39BI1.1.2. Monoclonal antibody 40BI3.2.2 therefore recognises an antigen specific for P. intermedia but not P. nigrescens and provides an easy and reliable means of distinguishing between these species. Three vaginal isolates identified biochemically as P. intermedia had enzymes with mobilities corresponding to neither P. intermedia nor P. nigrescens . These isolates were not recognised by mAbs 39BI1.1.2 or 40BI3.2.2 and may represent an undescribed taxon within this group of organisms. |
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| Keywords: | Prevotella intermedia Prevotella nigrescens Species-specific antibody Monoclonal antibody Species identification Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis |
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