Protein-bacteriophage conjugates: application in detection of antibodies and antigens.

Covalent attachment of proteins to bacteriophage yielded modified phage preparations with which it is possible to detect antibodies to proteins at concentrations as low as 0.5 to 2.0 nanograms per milliliter. Similarly, antibodies may be linked covalently to phage, and the resulting antibody-phage conjugate is useful in detecting proteins. An alternative method for quantitative determination of proteins is suggested, in which the inactivation of protein-phage by antibodies to protein is inhibited by the protein tested. With rabbit immunoglobulin G as the protein, as little as 0.3 nanogram per milliliter could he determind.