Location of antibody epitopes within the mouse hepatitis virus nucleocapsid protein

Thirteen monoclonal antibodies (Mab) specific for the nucleocapsid (N) protein of mouse hepatitis virus were mapped using a panel of carboxy-terminal N protein truncations expressed by recombinant vaccinia viruses. All of the Mab recognized both native protein and full-length N protein expressed in this vector by both Western blot and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays (ELISA), indicating that they recognized linear epitopes. The results obtained by both Western blot and ELISA for binding to the truncated N proteins coincide for seven of the Mab tested. The linear epitopes recognized localize to four domains dispersed between amino acids 171 and 196, 231 and 277, and 374 and 455. The epitopes for six Mab were localized to domains comprising 29 amino acids or less as determined by ELISA. Seven Mab showed different reactivity patterns in Western blot versus ELISA, suggesting binding may be influenced by local conformation. Therefore, the fine specificity of these Mab could not be determined with certainty. These data represent the first determination of antibody binding domains within the mouse hepatitis virus N protein which forms the viral helical nucleocapsids and appears to perform a number of regulatory functions during virus replication.