MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY TO NATIVE P39 PROTEIN FROM BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI

We have produced, by using a sonicate of Borrelia burgdorferi, a monoc lonal antibody (MAb), NYSP39H, that is specific for the P39 protein ba nd. This MAb reacted with 13 isolates of B. burgdorferi but not with e ight different spirochetes (four borrelias, two leptospiras, and two t reponemas). Surface labeling of B. burgdorferi with biotin and subsequ ent treatment with Nonidet P-40 showed that P39 was not biotinylated b ut was extracted with Nonidet P-40, indicating that it is present with in the outer membrane, but not on the surface of the spirochete. Immun oelectron microscopy revealed the immunogold probe primarily at the cy toplasmic membrane region of the spirochete. The MAb detected B. burgd orferi in the indirect fluorescent-antibody test only when the spiroch etes from a culture or in a tick homogenate were fixed with polylysine and not with acetone. NYSP39H appears to be an appropriate probe for use in the specific detection of B. burgdorferi.