Monoclonal antibodies identify conserved epitopes on the polyhedrin of Heliothis zea nuclear polyhedrosis virus

Monoclonal antibodies were formed against polyhedrin from the Heliothis zea S nuclear polyhedrosis virus. The cross-reactivity of these antibodies with polyhedrins and granulins of other occluded baculoviruses indicates that group and subgroup epitopes exist. Evidence is presented that multiple copies of one epitope or a series of closely related epitopes exist on the polyhedrin molecule. The monoclonal antibodies, with the exception of one IgM-producing hybridoma clone, were all of the IgG1 isotype. Clones producing antibodies with identical patterns of reactivity with heterologous polyhedrins and/or granulins but exhibiting different affinities for the homologous antigen (HzSNPV polyhedrin) are demonstrated.