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Title: Detection of Protein Toxins

Author
item Brandon, David
item Cheng, Luisa
item He, Xiaohua
item Rasooly, Reuven
item Scotcher, Miles
item Stanker, Larry
item Carter, John

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/17/2009
Publication Date: 6/17/2009
Citation: Brandon, D.L., Cheng, L.W., He, X., Rasooly, R., Scotcher, M.C., Stanker, L.H., Carter, J.M. 2009. Detection of Protein Toxins. Meeting Abstract. Poster No. 8.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We have focused on ricin, shiga-like toxin, botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), and staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), developing sensitive test methods for toxins and marker compounds in food matrices. Although animal models provide the best means for risk assessment, especially for crude toxins in complex food matrices, alternative tests, especially immunochemical and activity-based formats, can provide essential analytical data for food safety assurance. We have developed new monoclonal antibody reagents that bind BoNT and ricin with high affinity, affording assay sensitivities exceeding those of rodent bioassays. These antibody reagents have also proven useful for sample preparation and production of portable tests for field use. The inhibition of translation of luciferase mRNA by ribosome-inactivating proteins such as ricin and shiga toxins provides a cell-free luminescence assay to measure active toxins (Hale, 2001) and was used to characterize ricin stability in food matrices. The stimulation of splenocyte proliferation by SEA, with sample preparation using immunomagnetic beads, provided a sensitive assay of active toxin in several food matrices. Porting of assays to other platforms, including field-deployable and multiplex formats, is underway in collaboration with our cooperators.