Isolation of BNYVV coat protein-specific single chain Fv from a mouse phage library antibody

Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) infects sugar beet plants worldwide and is responsible for the rhizomania disease and severe economic losses. Disease severity and lack of naturally occurring resistant plants make it very difficult to control the virus, both from epidemiological and economic standpoints. Therefore, early detection is vital to impose hygiene restrictions and prevent further spread of the virus in the field. Immunoassays are one of the most popular methodologies for the primary identification of plant pathogens including BNYVV since they are robust, sensitive, fast, and inexpensive. In this study, the major coat protein (CP21) of BNYVV was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Thereafter, mice were immunized with purified CP21 and a phage antibody library was constructed from their PCR-amplified immunoglobulin repertoire. Following filamentous phage rescue of the library and four rounds of panning against recombinant CP21 antigen, several specific single chain Fv fragments were isolated and characterized. This approach may pave the way to develop novel immunoassays for a rapid detection of viral infection. Moreover, it will likely provide essential tools to establish antibody-mediated resistant transgenic technology in sugar beet plants.