Development and application of monoclonal antibodies for the detection of cell infecting mycoplasmas

Two hybridoma cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to mycoplasmas were established by fusion of mouse myeloma and spleen cells obtained from mice immunized with whole cell Mycoplasma pneumoniae antigens. The MAbs designated as MYC-4 and MYC-9 bound to a single M. pneumoniae protein band with approximate molecular weights of 150,000. In dot-EIA both MAbs reacted with ten Mycoplasma spp., two serovars of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Acholeplasma laidlawii. The MAbs have great potential to be used as an antibody probe for the rapid screening of cell cultures and hybridomas for mycoplasmal contamination.