Hapten modification approach for switching immunoassay specificity from selective to generic

The cross-reactivity profile of polyclonal antibodies against a low molecular weight analyte is strongly influenced by design of the coating or enzyme-linked hapten. The hapten modification effect on immunoassay specificity was studied. Heterology in hapten type and linking method were applied. The influence of these factors on analyses of two groups of antibiotics, 16-membered macrolides and glycopeptides was studied. This approach was used to convert the selective ELISAs to tylosin and eremomycin for group determination of tylosin\tilmicosin, tylosin\spiramycin and eremomycin\vancomycin. It was shown that the analytical spectrum of the developed polyclonal antibody-based immunoassays could be expanded and depended mainly on the type of coating hapten but not on the linking method. Modification of the hapten type in coating conjugates applied in present study served as a mechanism for switching specificity of the ELISA between selective and group.