Phage-displayed peptides that mimic zearalenone and its application in immunoassay

► Monoclonal antibody 7G5 (McAb 7G5), which recognizes the zearalenone (ZEN), was used to select for peptides that mimic the ZEN by employing a library of filamentous phages that have 7-mer peptides on their surfaces. ► Two mimotope peptides were obtained to be able to mimic ZEN in binding with the McAb 7G5, their amino acid sequences were DAVILLM and HHCHWWH. ► In the most sensitive phage ELISA , the linear range of the inhibition curve was 100-10,000 pg/ml, the detection limit was 100 pg/ml. ► The paper results demonstrated that those phage peptides could be used as the surrogate of ZEN to establish the immunoassay.