Development and evaluation of nucleoprotein-based rapid detection test for Siniperca chuatsi rhabdovirus

Abstract Siniperca chuatsi rhabdovirus (SCRV) is a rod- or bullet-shaped negative-stranded RNA virus and a threat to mandarin fish farming. This virus naturally infects fish, such as S. chuatsi and Micropterus salmoides, among others. SCRV-infected fish have a 90% mortality rate. In this study, a recombinant SCRV-N protein and a polyclonal antibody were prepared by gene cloning, constructing the vector of the SCRV nucleoprotein gene, purifying the protein, and immunizing mice with the recombinant nucleoprotein. A SCRV-N competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was established based on the recombinant protein and polyclonal antibody and verified by a large number of experimental fish infected with SCRV. The results confirmed that the method established in this study can be used to confirm whether fish are infected with SCRV with high sensitivity and speed. This rapid detection test is suitable for large-scale applications and will provide support for diagnosing infection with the mandarin fish rhabdovirus.