Production of monoclonal antibodies against leptospiral genus-specific protein antigen and localization of the antigen by immunoelectron microscopy.

Monoclonal antibodies were first produced against a leptospiral genus-specific protein antigen (GP-Ag) isolated from Leptospira interrogans serovar kremastos strain Kyoto. The representative monoclonal antibody (GP-7) did not agglutinate kremastos Kyoto but reacted with Triton X-100 treated kreamastos Kyoto, andamana, patoc and Urawa in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indicating that the monoclonal antibody recognized the genus-specific determinant of GP-Ag. The localization of GP-Ag was investigated by immunoelectron microscopy with the iodinated antibody and peroxidase-labeled antibody. The genus-specific determinant of GP-Ag recognized by GP-7 was located on the subsurface of the leptospiral envelope.