Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Based on the Nucleocapsid Protein of SARS-Like Coronaviruses
- Author:
Junfa YUAN
;
Yan LI
;
Huajun ZHANG
;
Peng ZHOU
;
Zhenhua KE
;
Yunzhi ZHANG
;
Zhengli SHI
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
SARS-like CoV;
Nucleocapsid protein;
Indirect ELISA
- From:
Virologica Sinica
2009;24(2):146-151
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The nucleocapsid protein (N) is a major structural protein of coronaviruses. The N protein of bat SARS-like coronavirus (SL-CoV) has a high similarity with that of SARS-CoV. In this study, the SL-CoV N protein was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and used as antigen. An Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (indirect ELISA) was developed for detection of SARS- or SL-CoV infections in bat populations. The detection of 573 bat sera with this indirect ELISA demonstrated that SL-CoVs consistently circulate in Rhinilophus species, further supporting the proposal that bats are natural reservoirs of SL-CoVs. This method uses 1-2 μl of serum sample and can be used for preliminary screening of infections by SARS- or SL-CoV with a small amount of serum sample.
