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Detection of potato leafroll and potato mop‐top viruses by immunosorbent electron microscopy
Author(s) -
ROBERTS I. M.,
HARRISON B. D.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1979.tb06544.x
Subject(s) - potato leafroll virus , myzus persicae , biology , antiserum , luteovirus , physalis , macrosiphum euphorbiae , electron microscope , solanaceae , plant virus , virology , potato spindle tuber viroid , potato virus y , virus , tobacco mosaic virus , immunoelectron microscopy , rose bengal , inoculation , horticulture , aphididae , aphid , viroid , pest analysis , antibody , homoptera , biochemistry , gene , optics , immunology , genetics , physics
SUMMARY Attachment of virus particles to antiserum‐coated electron microscope grids (immunosorbent electron microscopy) provided a test that was at least a thousand times more sensitive than conventional electron microscopy for detecting potato leafroll (PLRV) and potato mop‐top (PMTV) viruses. The identity of the attached virus particles was confirmed by exposing them to additional virus antibody, which coated the particles. PLRV particles (up to 50/μm 2 of grid area) were detected in extracts of infected potato leaves and tubers, infected Physalis floridana leaves, and single virus‐carrying aphids. On average, Myzus persicae yielded 10–30 times more PLRV particles than did Macrosiphum euphorbiae . PMTV particles (up to 10/μm 2 of grid area) were detected in extracts of inoculated tobacco leaves, and of infected Arran Pilot potato tubers with symptoms of primary infection. Particles from tobacco leaves were of two predominant lengths, about 125 nm or about 290 nm, and fewer particles of other lengths were found than in previous work, in which partially purified or purified preparations of virus particles were examined, using grids not coated with antiserum.