Abstract

A monoclonal antibody to a partially purified preparation of 2′-O-glucosyltransferase was produced by in vitro immunization of spleen cells from BALB/c mice, followed by fusion with mouse myeloma cells. Hybridoma culture supernatants were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for (i) their ability to produce immunoglobulins and (ii) their immunoreactivity with a partially purified enzyme preparation. The majority of the immunoglobulin-producing hybridomas were IgM secretors. Two highly immunoreactive IgM-secreting clones were chosen for further characterization. The supernatant fraction from a culture of one of these clones displayed 50% inhibition of the 2′-O-glucosyltransferase activity. The native form of the 2′-O-glucosyltransferase was essential for recognition, suggesting that the epitope recognized by the antibody is a conformational discontiguous one.