Studies on the major common precipitating antigen of capripoxvirus

The proteins of sheep pox, goat pox, sheep and goat pox and lumpy skin disease (Neethling) viruses were labelled with [35S]methionine. The major structural polypeptides of these viruses co-migrated on polyacrylamide gels, demonstrating the very close biochemical relationship between them. Using the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test with radiolabelled antigen preparations, a major common precipitating antigen was identified. This co-migrated on polyacrylamide gels with one of the major structural polypeptides [mol. wt. 67000 (67K)]. The use of [35S]methionine-labelled antigen preparations considerably improved the sensitivity of the AGID test as a diagnostic test for capripoxvirus antibody detection.