PRODUCTION AND PARTIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF HYBRIDOMA CLONES SECRETINGMONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AGAINST FRANCISELLA-TULARENSIS

Hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies against Francisella tularen sis cellular antigens were produced and characterized. These monoclona l antibodies reacted with F. tularensis in ELISA but not by immunoblot , indicating that the antibodies are directed against conformational e pitopes. One of these monoclonal antibodies was directed against outer membrane protein (OMP) components, and the remainder are likely direc ted against capsular components. The OMP-specific monoclonal antibodie s are F. tularensis-specific in contrast to the others which cross-rea ct with a number of other bacterial species. These OMP-specific monocl onal antibodies are of the IgG1 subclass, and may prove to be a useful diagnostic tool for detection and identification of F. tularensis in clinical materials.