Generation of a Monoclonal Antibody to S1 Protein of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus

Gene encoding the N-terminal half of spike protein (S1) of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) was cloned and expressed as a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Then, female BALB/c mice were immunized with the purified recombinant S1 protein (rS1), and a monoclonal antibody (MAb designated as 5E12) against the rS1 protein was achieved by hybridoma technique. MAb 5E12 not only reacted with rS1 protein indirect ELISA and Western blot, but also recognized PEDV transiently expressed in Vero E6 cells in indirect immunofluorescence examinations. This work suggests that 5E12 would be a useful tool as a specific diagnostic reagent for detecting PEDV S protein.