Tracking the amphibian pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans using a highly specific monoclonal antibody and lateral- flow technology
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) causes chytridiomycosis, a lethal epizootic disease of amphibians. Rapid identification of the pathogen and biosecurity is essential to prevent its spread, but current laboratory-based tests are time-consuming and require specialist equipment. Here, we describe the generation of an IgM monoclonal antibody (mAb), 5C4, specific to Bd as well as the related salamander and newt pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). The mAb, which binds to a glycoprotein antigen present on the surface of zoospores, sporangia and zoosporangia, was used to develop a lateral-flow assay (LFA) for rapid (15 min) detection of the pathogens. The LFA detects known lineages of Bd and also Bsal, as well as the closely related fungus Homolaphlyctis polyrhiza, but does not detect a wide range of related and unrelated fungi and oomycetes likely to be present in amphibian habitats. When combined with a simple swabbing procedure, the LFA was 100% accurate in detecting the water-soluble 5C4 antigen present in skin, foot and pelvic samples from frogs, newts and salamanders naturally infected with Bd or Bsal. Our results demonstrate the potential of the portable LFA as a rapid qualitative assay for tracking these amphibian pathogens and as an adjunct test to nucleic acid-based detection methods.
Date Issued
2016-12-19
Date Acceptance
2016-10-27
Citation
Microbial Biotechnology, 2016, 10 (2), pp.381-394
ISSN
1751-7915
Publisher
Wiley Open Access
Start Page
381
End Page
394
Journal / Book Title
Microbial Biotechnology
Volume
10
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2016 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, distribution and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, distribution and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000395009600016&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
NE/K014455/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Microbiology
YEAST POPULATION-DYNAMICS
NON-SACCHAROMYCES
WINE FERMENTATION
SULFUR-DIOXIDE
GRAPE BERRIES
FUNGICIDE TREATMENTS
ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY
MICROBIAL DIVERSITY
KLOECKERA-APICULATA
BOTRYTIS-CINEREA
Animals
Antibodies, Fungal
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Antigens, Fungal
Chytridiomycota
Diagnostic Tests, Routine
Immunochromatography
Immunoglobulin M
Mycoses
Urodela
Veterinary Medicine
0605 Microbiology
Publication Status
Published