Identification and characterization of excreted-secreted products and surface coat antigens of animal and plant-parasitic nematodes

Nematode surface coat (SC) proteins and excreted-secreted products (E-S) ar e likely to play important roles in the host-parasite interaction and consi derable similarities can be found in SC proteins and E-S products from cert ain plant and animal parasitic nematodes. Monoclonal antibodies raised to E -S products of plant-parasitic nematodes were shown to cross-react with E-S products and the surface coats of the animal parasites Trichinella spirali s and Haemonchus contortus. Most of the antibodies recognized carbohydrate epitopes but the activity of 2 MAbs (IACR-CCNj.2a. 15 and IACR-Misec.8D.3) which recognized proteic epitopes in these nematodes were further character ized. Antibody 2a. 15 recognized the SC and oral exudate of Meloidogyne inc ognita, T. spiralis and H, contortus. This antigen was also immunolocalized in the lining of the oesophagus and gut and in the exudate present during ecdysis of H. contortus L-3. Antibody 8D.3 reacted with the SC of these nem atodes on cryosections but on live nematodes the immunofluorescence was ver y patchy and was shed from the nematode SC.