Production of Virus-Specific Antisera Using Synthetic Peptides Corresponding to Sequences in the Yellow Fever E Protein: Brief Report

Synthetic peptides have gained widespread acceptance for use in epitope mapping and as immunogens for monoclonal antibody and polyclonal serum production. Putative antigenic peptides homologous to regions in the primary sequence of the envelope protein (E) of yellow fever virus (YF17D) were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to produce polyclonal antisera specific for the parent protein and for their reactivity with a panel of E-specific mAb. Antipeptide sera were reacted with native virus in ELISA, Western blot, neutralization, hemagglutination-inhibition, and immunofluorescence tests. Reactive sera were in most cases specific for the original peptide. However, despite the diversity of peptide selection processes, we were unable to identify any antipeptide serum that reacted specifically with authentic YF E protein.