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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, October 2009, p. 3098-3107, Vol. 47, No. 10
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00919-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Time-Resolved Fluorescent Resonance Energy Transfer Assay for Simple and Rapid Detection of Anti-Brucella Antibodies in Ruminant Serum Samples{triangledown}

John A. McGiven,* Iain J. Thompson, Nicola J. Commander, and Judy A. Stack

Brucella Research Group, Statutory and Exotic Bacteria, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, United Kingdom

Received 9 May 2009/ Returned for modification 13 July 2009/ Accepted 28 July 2009

Brucellosis is a globally significant zoonosis, the control of which is difficult and resource intensive. Serological tests form a vital part of a multifactorial approach to control and are often performed in large numbers. The aim of the present study was to develop a new assay to improve the efficiency, ease, and effectiveness of serological testing. An existing competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was adapted to a completely homogeneous time-resolved fluorescent resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay. This was achieved by labeling an anti-Brucella monoclonal antibody with a long-lifetime donor fluorophore and Brucella smooth lipopolysaccharide with a compatible acceptor and optimizing the reading conditions. The assay was performed in a 96-well plate with a single 30-min incubation period and no separation (wash) steps and was concluded by a single plate-reading step. The performance of the assay was evaluated with a panel of serum samples from infected (n = 73) and uninfected (n = 480) sources and compared to the performance of the parent cELISA, an indirect ELISA (iELISA), and fluorescence polarization assay (FPA). The performance of the TR-FRET assay matched the performance of the iELISA, which had 100% diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, and surpassed the performance of the cELISA and the FPA. The results also demonstrated that the TR-FRET technique is effective with poor-quality serum samples from the field. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first homogeneous TR-FRET assay to detect antibodies raised against an infectious disease. The technique appears to be sufficiently adaptable to meet the needs of many other similar testing requirements to identify infectious diseases.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Brucella Research Group, Statutory and Exotic Bacteria, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 1932 357227. Fax: 44 1932 357873. E-mail: j.mcgiven{at}vla.defra.gsi.gov.uk

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 5 August 2009.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, October 2009, p. 3098-3107, Vol. 47, No. 10
0095-1137/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00919-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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