Production of antiserum to the reverse transcriptase of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus

The reverse transcriptase of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV) has been isolated and partially purified by ion exchange chromatography. Sera from rabbits immunized with the partially purified enzyme have been shown by microimmunodiffusion analysis to be immunologically specific for the M-PMV polymerase. The immune serum also specifically inhibits M-PMV polymerase activity and this inhibitory activity has been shown to reside in the IgG fraction of the serum. The application of these reagents to examining virus identity and investigating the possible viral aetiology of human breast cancer is discussed.