Polyclonal Rabbit Antisera that Detect the Vpr Protein of SIV SM and SIV MAC on Immunoblots of Purified Virions

Abstract

Antisera suitable for detection of SIV_SM or SIV_MAC Vpr proteins on Western blots of purified virions are currently not available. We have expressed the Vpr protein of SIV_SMPBj1.9 in a gst-based prokaryotic expression system and used it to raise polyclonal antisera in rabbits. Two immune sera were obtained that specifically recognized both cell- and virion-associated Vpr protein on immunoblots of three different SIV isolates (SIV_SMPBj1.9, SIV_MACBK28, and SIV_MAC239). Because Vpr is believed to play an important role in HIV/SIV replication and pathogenesis, these reagents will allow the extension of functional analyses of this protein to a broader spectrum of viruses. Both antisera and the gst-Vpr expression plasmid have been submitted to the MAID AIDS Research and Reagent Program and are available to interested investigators.