And cultured in 24-well flat-bottomed tissue culture plates. One MLN and 1 ml complete DMEM medium (Gibco) containing 10 (v/v) heat-inactivated foetal calf serum (Thermo), 100 U/ml penicillin (Gibco), 0.1 mg/ml streptomycin (Gibco) and 2 mM glutamine (Gibco) per well were incubated at 37uC in a humidified incubator with 5 CO2 for 24 h. Culture supernatants (ASC supernatants) were collected and stored at 220uC and the presence of LTB-specific antibodies determined by ELISA. Sampling the mucosa of the abomasum. The mucosal lining of the abomasum was sampled by scraping the inside surface with a glass slide. Mucus scrapings were prepared for ELISA as described by [25]. Abomasal scrapings were washed off the slide into a 50 ml tube with 3 ml PBST supplemented with 2x Roche Complete Protease Inhibitor Cocktail tablets (PBST2I). The supernatant was collected following centrifugation at 9000 g for 15 min at 4uC and stored at 220uC until required.Figure 3. LTB-specific IgG (A) and IgA (B) antibody titres in abomasum mucus 
following oral immunisation with four doses of control 15481974 or LTB-GNF-7 transgenic plant materials. The horizontal lines represent geometric means. Black symbols denote CASIN web positive responders defined as sheep with antibody titres at least three standard deviations above the control mean, non-responders are indicated by grey symbols. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052907.gSmall intestine washes to sample intestinal secretions. Four sections of the small intestine were excised,University Werribee Animal Facility under conditions approved by the Monash University Animal Ethics Committee (AEC SOBSA/P/2009/98). Sheep were provided with water and standard feed ad lib and fasted 16 h before oral immunisation. Sheep were randomly assigned into four groups of 2? animals each (Table 1). A single sheep from the transgenic rLTB expressing leaf vaccine group (LTB-Leaf) developed balanopsthitis (pizzle rot) 14 days after beginning the trial and was treated with a testosterone implant. This sheep was not excluded from analyses. Sheep were immunised on days 0, 14 and 28 followed by a boost dose on day 38, four days before sacrifice. Vaccine materials were formulated immediately before delivery by mixing 19 g freezedried plant material with 200 ml of an oil based emulsion (125 ml peanut oil:75 ml dH2O). When receiving the transgenic rLTB plant-based vaccines (LTB-HR or LTB-Leaf), each dose was sufficient to deliver 5 mg rLTB. Sheep receiving the CtHR or CtLeaf vaccines were immunised with the equivalent volume of formulated control plant materials. The formulated vaccines were administered orally to sheep by gavage directly into the rumen to simulate drenching, a common delivery system used routinely toeach section measured 0.5 m in length and was taken 3 m apart, beginning at the abomasum/duodenum junction (section 1, 0?0.5 m). Sections 2? were sampled at 3.5? m, 7?.5 m and 10.5?11 m respectively. Each segment was flushed with 20 ml saline then incubated for 30 min with 10 ml saline and gentle rocking. Each end of the intestinal segments was clamped during washes to prevent leakage. Washes containing intestinal secretions were collected and stored at 220uC until required. Faecal sampling. Faecal samples were collected before vaccination on day 0 and again at day 16 and 36 h after immunisation with the second oral dose allowing administered vaccine material to complete transit through the sheep GIT [26]. Faecal matter was homogenised in 1 ml/g PBST2I with two.And cultured in 24-well flat-bottomed tissue culture plates. One MLN and 1 ml complete DMEM medium (Gibco) containing 10 (v/v) heat-inactivated foetal calf serum (Thermo), 100 U/ml penicillin (Gibco), 0.1 mg/ml streptomycin (Gibco) and 2 mM glutamine (Gibco) per well were incubated at 37uC in a humidified incubator with 5 CO2 for 24 h. Culture supernatants (ASC supernatants) were collected and stored at 220uC and the presence of LTB-specific antibodies determined by ELISA. Sampling the mucosa of the abomasum. The mucosal lining of the abomasum was sampled by scraping the inside surface with a glass slide. Mucus scrapings were prepared for ELISA as described by [25]. Abomasal scrapings were washed off the slide into a 50 ml tube with 3 ml PBST supplemented with 2x Roche Complete Protease Inhibitor Cocktail tablets (PBST2I). The supernatant was collected following centrifugation at 9000 g for 15 min at 4uC and stored at 220uC until required.Figure 3. LTB-specific IgG (A) and IgA (B) antibody titres in abomasum mucus following oral immunisation with four doses of control 15481974 or LTB-transgenic plant materials. The horizontal lines represent geometric means. Black symbols denote positive responders defined as sheep with antibody titres at least three standard deviations above the control mean, non-responders are indicated by grey symbols. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052907.gSmall intestine washes to sample intestinal secretions. Four sections of the small intestine were excised,University Werribee Animal Facility under conditions approved by the Monash University Animal Ethics Committee (AEC SOBSA/P/2009/98). Sheep were provided with water and standard feed ad lib and fasted 16 h before oral immunisation. Sheep were randomly assigned into four groups of 2? animals each (Table 1). A single sheep from the transgenic rLTB expressing leaf vaccine group (LTB-Leaf) developed balanopsthitis (pizzle rot) 14 days after beginning the trial and was treated with a testosterone implant. This sheep was not excluded from analyses. Sheep were immunised on days 0, 14 and 28 followed by a boost dose on day 38, four days before sacrifice. Vaccine materials were formulated immediately before delivery by mixing 19 g freezedried plant material with 200 ml of an oil based emulsion (125 ml peanut oil:75 ml dH2O). When receiving the transgenic rLTB plant-based vaccines (LTB-HR or LTB-Leaf), each dose was sufficient to deliver 5 mg rLTB. Sheep receiving the CtHR or CtLeaf vaccines were immunised with the equivalent volume of formulated control plant materials. The formulated vaccines were administered orally to sheep by gavage directly into the rumen to simulate drenching, a common delivery system used routinely toeach section measured 0.5 m in length and was taken 3 m apart, beginning at the abomasum/duodenum junction (section 1, 0?0.5 m). Sections 2? were sampled at 3.5? m, 7?.5 m and 10.5?11 m respectively. Each segment was flushed with 20 ml saline then incubated for 30 min with 10 ml saline and gentle rocking. Each end of the intestinal segments was clamped during washes to prevent leakage. Washes containing intestinal secretions were collected and stored at 220uC until required. Faecal sampling. Faecal samples were collected before vaccination on day 0 and again at day 16 and 36 h after immunisation with the second oral dose allowing administered vaccine material to complete transit through the sheep GIT [26]. Faecal matter was homogenised in 1 
ml/g PBST2I with two.
