Identification of the Epitope Recognized by the Anti-Red Sea Bream Iridovirus (RSIV) Monoclonal Antibody M10 Using a Phage Display RSIV Peptide Library

Red sea bream iridoviral disease (RSIVD) spreads readily throughout the marine environment because of its wide variety of host species. Use of a rapid diagnostic method, such as the immunofluorescence antibody test, helps to control the disease, so the anti-RSIV monoclonal antibody M10 (mAb M10) has been developed in Japan. In the present study, we carried out epitope mapping using the phage display method to identify the antigen of mAb M10. A phage display RSIV peptide library was constructed to cover the entire genome of RSIV, then phage clones recognized by the antibody were selected by biopanning. The selected clones harbored partial fragments of the laminin-type epidermal growth factor-like domain (LEGFD) gene. N-terminal and C-terminal deletion peptides were then prepared from the amino acid sequence deduced from the smallest fragment to precisely determine the epitope. Finally, seven amino acids, EYDCPEY, located in the extracellular domain of the LEGFD protein were determined to be the epitope. Identical residues of the epitope were also identified from the LEGFD protein in other megalocytiviruses including the infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus and turbot reddish body iridovirus. mAb M10 is considered to be widely available for the diagnostics of megalocytivirus infections.