Monoclonal antibodies specific to Mycoplasma iowae

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Mycoplasma iowae (MI) were produced to identify common immunogenic determinants shared between antigenically heterogenous MI. Twenty-four MAbs were produced against MI. With western immunoblotting, all 24 MAbs recognized a 45,000-MW protein (p45) of MI strain I-695. One of the MAbs characterized, MAb 2C, identified p45 antigen in western immunoblots with six laboratory strains and 24 field isolates of MI. MAb 2C did not cross-react with Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma meleagridis, or nonpathogenic avian mycoplasmas. Triton X-114 phase separation of MI proteins showed that p45 is an integral membrane protein. In immunofluorescent staining and immunoelectron microscopy of MI, MAb 2C reacted with surface antigen(s). These MAbs specific to MI may be used in detection and diagnosis of MI infections.