Monoclonal antibodies specific for the carboxy terminus of simian virus 40 large T antigen.

Three mouse hybridomas secreting antibodies against the undecapeptide Lys-Pro-Pro-Thr-Pro-Pro-Pro-Glu-Pro-Glu-Thr, corresponding to the carboxy terminus of simian virus 40 large T antigen, were isolated and cloned. A sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to characterize the properties of the monoclonal antibodies. All three hybridomas, designated KT1, KT3, and KT4, produced antibodies that immunoprecipitated large T. The antibodies differed in their affinities for the peptide and for the native protein. Antibodies from KT3 precipitated large T better than those from KT1 or KT4. KT3 antibodies also had the highest affinity for the free peptide (5.2 X 10(6) M-1) as determined by radioimmunoassay; KT1 and KT4 antibodies had ca. 5- and 1,000-fold lower affinities, respectively. Inhibition studies with shorter peptides, overlapping the undecapeptide, revealed the approximate regions recognized by the different monoclonal antibodies. KT3 antibodies bound to a region within the carboxy-terminal six amino acids of large T. Antibodies from KT1 and KT4 reacted with sequences located further towards the amino terminus of the undecapeptide. Surprising results were obtained with KT4 antibodies. Their binding to the undecapeptide was completely inhibited by the undecapeptide itself or the carboxy-terminal hexapeptide. The carboxy-terminal pentamer, on the other hand, slightly enhanced binding, and the carboxy-terminal tetramer, Glu-Pro-Glu-Thr, was strongly stimulatory. A model for this effect is proposed. Using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we confirmed previous studies (W. Deppert and G. Walter, Virology 122:56-70, 1982) which found that antiserum against sodium dodecyl sulfate-denatured large T reacts strongly with the carboxy terminus of large T. By inhibition studies, we identified the approximate region within the undecapeptide recognized by anti-sodium dodecyl sulfate-denatured large T and compared this region with the region identified by antipeptide serum.