A monoclonal antibody against truncated N protein (aa 277-471) of canine distemper virus

Canine distemper (CD) is a highly contagious, systemic, viral disease of dogs seen worldwide. The nucleocapsid protein (NP) of canine distemper virus encloses virus assembly and has some regulatory functions in viral transcription and replication. Here, we describe a procedure to generate a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against CDV N protein and investigate its characteristics. Western blot analysis showed that the MAbs produced in this study were against CDV N specifically. Indirect immunofluorescence assay demonstrated that they could recognize native N protein in CDV-infected Vero cells. The MAbs reported here may provide valuable tools for the further exploration of biological properties and functions of N protein and may also be developed for potential clinical applications.