Development of a double-antibody sandwich ELISA for sensitive detection of Yersinia pestis.

We developed a biotin-streptavidin-based sandwich ELISA for the sensitive and specific detection of Yersinia pestis. In this assay, the F1 capsular protein and Y. pestis were captured by anti-F1 mouse monoclonal antibody followed by detection with biotinylated-anti-F1 rabbit polyclonal antibody and HRP-conjugated streptavidin. The developed F1 ELISA could detect not only the F1 protein up to 29 and 17 pg/ml but also Y. pestis up to 177.8 and 129.2 CFU/ml in PBS buffer and human serum, respectively. In addition, the F1 ELISA did not show any cross-reactivity with various proteins and bacterial strains.