Antigenic characterization of flavivirus structural proteins separated by isoelectric focusing.

Isoelectrofocusing of nonionic-detergent-disrupted flaviviruses separated the envelope glycoprotein of 53,000 to 58,000 daltons and the nucleocapsid protein of 14,000 daltons. The envelope protein and nucleocapsid protein were isolated at isoelectric points of pI 7.8 and 10.3, respectively. The antigenic determinants of St. Louis encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, and dengue virus envelope and nucleocapsid proteins were examined by solid-phase competition radioimmunoassay. By the appropriate selection of antiserum and competing proteins, it was possible to distinguish type-specific, complex-reactive and flavivirus group-reactive antigenic determinants. The envelope glycoproteins of St. Louis encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, and dengue viruses were found to contain each of these three classes of antigenic determinants. Most of the determinants on the envelope protein were type specific, some were complex reactive, and a small fraction were flavivirus group reactive. The nucleocapsid protein contained only flavivirus group-reactive antigenic determinants.