Monoclonal antibody #3-9-16 recognizes one of the two isoforms of rabies virus matrix protein that exposes its N-terminus on the virion surface.
We investigated behaviors of the rabies virus matrix (M) protein using a monoclonal antibody (mAb), #3-9-16, that recognized a linear epitope located at the N-terminus of the protein. Based on the reactivity with this mAb, M proteins could be divided into at least two isoforms; an ordinary major form (Malpha) whose 3-9-16 epitope is hidden, and an N-terminal-exposed epitope-positive form (Mbeta). The Mbeta protein accounted for about 25-30% of the total M proteins in the virion, while its content in the cell ranged from 10 to 15% of total M protein. Fluorescent antibody (FA) staining showed that the Mbeta antigen distributed in the Golgi area where the colocalized viral glycoprotein antigen was also detected. Mbeta antigen was shown to be exposed on the surface of infected cells by both immunoprecipitation and FA staining with the mAb, whereby the cells might have become sensitive to the mAb-dependent complement-mediated cytolysis. Similarly, the Mbeta antigen was shown to be exposed on the virion surface, and the infectivity of the virus was destroyed by the mAb in the presence of a complement. Together with these results, we think that the M protein molecule takes either of two conformations, one (Mbeta) of which exposes the 3-9-16 epitope located in the N-terminal region of the M protein, that are also exposed on the surface of the virion and infected cells, whereby it might play a certain important role(s) in the virus replication process differently from the other form (Malpha), probably through its intimate association with the Golgi area and/or the cell membrane.