Detection of plum pox potyvirus using monoclonal antibodies to structural and non-structural proteins1

Eleven monoclonal antibodies specific to plum pox potyvirus (PPV) coat protein were obtained by hybridoma technology from Spanish PPV isolates. In addition, two monoclonal antibodies specific for PPV cylindrical inclusions (CIP non-structural proteins) were obtained. The monoclonal antibodies specific for PPV coat protein were assayed by DASI ELISA against 81 PPV isolates. At least nine different epitopes were found and 21 distinct serological patterns of reaction (serogroups) were established using nine selected monoclonal antibodies against the collection of PPV isolates, indicating the high variability of coat protein among PPV isolates. Changes in epitope composition were observed after aphid and mechanical transmission, indicating the occurrence of mixtures of isolates in field trees. Monoclonal antibody 5B reacted with all PPV isolates assayed, with very high affinity, using DASI ELISA. This method was compared with immunocapture-PCR on field samples in spring, and showed very good coincidence of results. The efficiency of PPV detection can be slightly increased using monoclonal antibodies specific to cylindrical inclusions mixed with monoclonal antibodies against structural proteins, and using mixtures of monoclonal antibodies against different epitopes of coat protein. ELISA-I and immunoprinting-ELISA were able to detect CIP and PPV in extracts and tissue section, respectively, of woody plants. Two monoclonal antibodies offer the possibility of distinguishing between Marcus and Dideron PPV types (M or D). These D-specific monoclonal antibodies can be used in routine tests with high affinity.     

Fully "Recombinant Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays" Using Genetically Engineered Single-Chain Antibody Fusion Proteins for Detection of Citrus tristeza virus

ABSTRACT Recombinant single-chain variable fragment antibodies (scFv) that bind specifically to Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), which cause the most detrimental viral disease in the citrus industry worldwide, were obtained from the hybridoma cell lines 3DF1 and 3CA5. These scFv were genetically fused with dimerization domains as well as with alkaline phosphatase, respectively, and diagnostic reagents were produced by expressing these fusion proteins in bacterial cultures. The engineered antibodies were successfully used for CTV diagnosis in plants by tissue print enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and double antibody sandwich-ELISA. The fully recombinant ELISAs were as specific and sensitive as conventional ELISAs performed with the parental monoclonal antibodies, showing the usefulness of recombinant antibodies for routine detection of a virus in woody plants for the first time.     

The question of seed transmissibility of Plum pox virus

For many years, Plum pox virus (PPV) was considered to be transmissible by seed, increasing the fear of long-distance spread of the disease. In the late 1970s, it was claimed on the basis of biological transmission of the virus to herbaceous indicator plants and the development of serological diagnosis based on polyclonal antibodies, that PPV was seed-transmitted, with a different infection rate according to the plant species and part of the seed which was tested. In the 1990s, PPV was characterized into four different types, and specific monoclonal antibodies were produced for them. These new and more sensitive diagnostic techniques, together with RT-PCR with different sets of specific primers, were used to approach once again the problem of PPV transmission through seeds. The virus was detected in seed coats and cotyledons, but embryonic tissue and seedlings obtained from germinated seeds never showed symptoms, and gave negative results for PPV with both ELISA and PCR assays. No PPV isolate is currently recognized to be seed transmitted, so vertical transmission of PPV from infected mother plants to their progeny does not occur. Hypothetically, the only possibility of seed transmission would arise from a mutation in the helper component of the virus, associated with high susceptibility of the infected Prunus cultivar.     

Developments in methodology of plant virus detection

As a general rule some form of polyclonal-antibody based enzyme immunoassay is still preferred for routine plant virus detection, but modifications may be necessary when increased sensitivity or specificity is required. In recent years new developments in antibody-based detection methods have mostly involved the provision of specific reagents, such as monoclonal antibodies or affinity-purified second antibody-enzyme conjugates which have helped to improve the sensitivity and specificity of the assays. Other kinds of tests (such as nucleic acid hybridisation) must be used when tests for virus coat protein are not appropriate. Recently, tests based on the polymerase chain reaction show great promise. There is no single universal test: assays must be devised and optimised for each pathogen. The challenge with all types of test is to make them quicker, less labour intensive, and —if possible — cheaper.     

Comparison of monoclonal antibodies and polymerase chain reaction assays for the typing of isolates belonging to the d and m serotypes of plum pox potyvirus

ABSTRACT Plum pox potyvirus (PPV) isolates may be divided into four groups separated by serological, molecular, and epidemiological differences. Monoclonal antibodies specific for the two major groups of isolates, represented by the D and M serotypes of the virus, have been obtained. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays allowing the direct detection and differentiation of PPV isolates have also been developed. We now report on a large-scale comparison of these two typing approaches. The results obtained show an overall excellent correlation between the results obtained in indirect double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using PPV-D- and PPV-M-specific monoclonal antibodies and those derived from either specific PCR assays or restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of PCR fragments. Without exception, all isolates reacting positively with the PPV-M-specific monoclonal antibody were found to belong to the M serotype using the PCR-based assays, while 51 out of 53 isolates recognized by the D-specific monoclonal antibodies belonged to the D serotype according to the PCR typing results. However, failure to react with a specific monoclonal antibody did not prove as effective a predictor of the serotype of the isolate analyzed. In a few cases, the results obtained with the various techniques diverged, indicating low level variability of the epitopes recognized by the serotype-specific monoclonal antibodies. Isolates belonging to the two minor groups of PPV (El Amar and Cherry) also gave divergent results, indicating that the current typing assays are not suited for the analysis of such isolates.     

Production of Monoclonal Antibodies against Apple Proliferation Phytoplasma and their Use in Serological Detection

Two monoclonal antibodies were obtained against the apple proliferation phytoplasma that provide easy, rapid, specific and sensitive serological detection. They reacted specifically by using ELISA and immunofluorescence techniques with apple proliferation-infected periwinkles and apple trees from different regions in northern Italy and Slovenia, but not with several other phytoplasma isolates. We did not observe any monoclonal antibody reaction even using phytoplasmas belonging to the same phylogenetic group such as European stone fruit yellows and pear decline. Two serological techniques, immunofluorescence and ELISA, were compared with DAPI staining and PCR. From July until leaf fall ELISA was as sensitive as PCR but was more rapid and convenient than PCR; immunofluorescence was useful for specific detection of apple proliferation phytoplasma on roots throughout the year. Serological techniques could be conveniently applied in the roots, stems and leaves of apple trees depending on specific phenological stages of the plants.     

Selection of Beet Necrotic Yellow Vein Virus Specific Single-chain Fv Antibodies from a Semi-synthetic Combinatorial Antibody Library

Methods for the generation of monoclonal antibodies against plant viruses are limited because current hybridoma techniques do not allow efficient exploitation of the immune repertoire. Moreover, the immunization procedures often lead to a bias towards an immunodominant contaminant in the immunogen preparation and not to the plant virus itself. The selection of six different single-chain antibody variable fragments (scFv) against beet necrotic yellow vein virus from a semi-synthetic human combinatorial antibody library showed the feasibility of the phage display system. No bias towards minor contaminants in the purified virus preparation was observed in ELISA, as all the selected scFvs reacted only with beet necrotic yellow vein virus infected plant homogenates. In addition, two of the isolated beet necrotic yellow vein virus-specific scFvs could be produced in E. coli as a scFv fusion protein with alkaline phosphatase, and were applied in ELISA as specific ready to use antibody-enzyme conjugates. Because of their specificity, these antibodies have potential to be used as reagents in sensitive diagnostic assays for routine testing for beet necrotic yellow vein virus in sugar beets.     

Detection of plum pox virus by isolation of double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA)

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) associated with plum pox virus (PPV) in Nicotiana clevelandii and Prunus domestica has been isolated. While dsRNA was detected in N. clevelandii in considerable amounts by electrophoresis, only small amounts were found in P. domestica. This may be due to viscous substances in the leaves of this woody host. Different PPV strains (NAT - not aphid-transmissible; AT - aphid-transmissible) showed specific patterns in electrophoresis gels. When PPV was assayed in N. clevelandii by dsRNA detection or by standard ELISA or ISEM, all three methods were found to be efficient, with none being superior. ELISA, as a simple and fast routine method, is still the method of choice. DsRNA detection will be suitable for plant disease agents undetectable by ELISA and ISEM.     

Practical use of ELISA to detect cauliflower mosaic virus in cauliflower1

An antiserum was prepared against cauliflower mosaic virus strain S. The specificity of the reagents (IgG labelled with alkaline phosphatase) allowed the use of ELISA test (standard method) for virus detection, directly from cauliflower plants. Triton and urea had to be added to the homogenizing phosphate buffer. Labelled antibodies from strain S were also reactive - with high optical densities - against strain PV-45 and Cabb-BJI, but a distant relationship appeared with strain CM4-184. Two thousand samples picked in the field were analysed and some results showed that the virus could be latent in the plant. A good correlation was observed between ELISA and biological indexing results. However, the serological diagnosis was more precise when cauliflowers were doubly infected by cauliflower mosaic virus and turnip mosaic virus.     

Existence of two serological subclusters of Plum pox virus, strain M

A large-scale serological characterisation of Plum pox virus (PPV) isolates was carried out with 19 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), including the universal MAb5B and the following strain-specific MAbs: AL (specific to PPV-M), 4DG5 (specific to PPV-D), TUV and AC (specific to PPV-C), and EA24 (specific to PPV-EA). The study involved 108 PPV isolates of different geographical origin (Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and Yugoslavia) and hosts (almond, apricot, peach, plum and cherry). The inter- and intra-strain serological relationships of PPV isolates were evaluated by DASI-ELISA. High serological variability was detected, not only between strains, but also among isolates of the same strain. Computer-assisted analysis of serological data support the hypothesis of the existence of two distinct subclusters, denoted PPV-M₁ and PPV-M₂, which seem to prevail in Mediterranean and Eastern–Central European countries, respectively.     

Improved detection of citrus psorosis virus using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies

Citrus psorosis is a serious and widespread disease associated with citrus psorosis virus (CPsV), a novel filamentous negative-stranded virus in the genus Ophiovirus . Laborious and costly indexing on test plants has been the only routine diagnostic method available, but recently an antiserum usable in double antibody sandwich (DAS) ELISA has been prepared. Here, major improvements to the DAS-ELISA protocol, a new purification method, and production of two monoclonal antibodies (mabs) to CPsV, an IgG and an IgM are reported. A highly sensitive triple antibody sandwich (TAS) ELISA making use of the mabs is described. In glasshouse citrus the homologous virus was still detectable at a tissue dilution of 1/6250 in DAS and at 1/31250 in TAS-ELISA. Both the DAS and IgG mab-TAS formats detected all CPsV isolates so far tested (from Argentina, Italy, Lebanon, Spain and the USA). A few isolates were not detected by the IgM mab.     

Development of Specific Recombinant Monoclonal Antibodies Against the Lipopolysaccharide of Ralstonia solanacearum Race 3

ABSTRACT Recombinant single-chain antibodies (scFvs) against the lipopolysaccharide of Ralstonia solanacearum (biovar 2, race 3) were successfully selected by phage display from a large combinatorial antibody library. Characterization with regard to cross-reaction and use in routine immunoassays showed that the selected antibodies had improved characteristics when compared with the polyclonal antiserum that is currently used for brown rot diagnosis of potato in the Netherlands. The isolated monoclonal scFvs reacted in both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence cell staining with all race 3 strains tested, but with only some strains belonging to other races. Furthermore, only a few cross-reactions with saprophytic bacteria, which also cross-reacted with polyclonal antisera, were observed. Using ELISA, one of the recombinant antibodies detected as few as 5 x 10(3) bacteria in potato tuber extracts. Therefore, this antibody is potentially useful for detection of R. solanacearum race 3.     

Serological characterization of Italian isolates of plum pox potyvirus1

An Italian isolate of plum pox potyvirus (PPV) from apricot, Ispave 17, was used as antigen for production of monoclonal antibodies. Six clones secreting specific antibodies to PPV were obtained. All these monoclonal antibodies were used to test a collection of different Italian PPV isolates, collected from plum, apricot and peach orchards, and other European isolates (including PPV-D and PPV-M serotypes), using DAS-ELISA, SDS-PAGE, western blot and GIEM. In western blot analysis, the PPV-M and PPV-D coat protein, detected directly from crude peach GF305 extracts, showed different electrophoretic mobility, the coat protein of PPV-M being slightly larger than that of PPV-D. ELISA tests, performed with fixed dilutions of antibodies and limiting dilutions of clarified samples, showed with some monoclonal antibodies a marked difference between PPV-M and PPV-D strains, at ratios greater than 1:40 (w/v). Also in GIEM some monoclonal antibodies gave a good labelling reaction only with PPV-D serotype. With the help of this differentiation, it was found that all Italian isolates tested were of the D serotype and none of the severe M strain of PPV, which has not been reported in Italy.     

Rapid serological diagnosis of tick-borne encephalitis by means of enzyme immunoassay

A system of IgM-capture EIA made up from Czechoslovak immunopreparations (SEVAC) was developed for a rapid serological diagnosis of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). The method was tested on clinical material. The total IgM antibody titres were detected using pig antiserum and the selection of specific IgM antibodies was made with TBE antigen with following indirect way of detection. The antibody analysis made by means of this method is sensitive and fully conforms to the clinical picture of the disease.     

番茄溃疡病菌单克隆抗体的制备与鉴定

为制备并鉴定番茄溃疡病菌(Clavibacter michiganensis subsp.michiganensis,Cmm)的单克隆抗体(McAbs),用全菌皮下免疫BALB/C小鼠,采用B细胞杂交瘤技术,经免疫、融合、间接ELISA筛选和克隆等,获得稳定分泌抗体的阳性杂交瘤细胞株,得到了抗番茄溃疡病菌的单克隆抗体。经免疫后获得3株单抗分别为1A4、1C3和1B7,经亚类鉴定分别是IgM、IgG1、IgG1;纯化腹水间接ELISA效价分别为1:3.2×106、1:8.1×105、1:3.2×106;与其他同属不同亚种无交叉反应。结果表明:3株单克隆抗体均具有较高特异性和敏感性,可作为番茄溃疡病菌的检测抗体,其中,1A4的效果最好。番茄溃疡病菌单克隆抗体的获得为进一步研发番茄溃疡病检测试剂盒奠定了基础。     

番茄褐色皱果病毒胶体金免疫试纸条的研制

 番茄褐色皱果病毒(tomato brown rugose fruit virus, ToBRFV)是一种新发病毒,严重威胁番茄的安全生产。为了快速、简便地检测该病毒,我们制备了ToBRFV胶体金免疫试纸条。本研究以ToBRFV粒子为免疫原,通过杂交瘤技术制备了17个抗ToBRFV的单克隆抗体。将不同单抗两两组合分别作为胶体金标记抗体和硝酸纤维素膜检测线上的捕获抗体,共获得272个配对组合的胶体金试纸条。通过特异性测定筛选到一组配对抗体制备的试纸条能够在5 min内特异识别ToBRFV,而与番茄斑驳花叶病毒、番茄花叶病毒、烟草花叶病毒、黄瓜花叶病毒、辣椒轻斑驳病毒、马铃薯X病毒、马铃薯Y病毒、番茄褪绿病毒、番茄斑萎病毒、番茄黄化曲叶病毒等无交叉反应。灵敏度分析表明,该试纸条可从稀释12 800倍的番茄叶片病汁液中检测到ToBRFV,也可检测到50 ng ToBRFV粒子。本研究制备的胶体金试纸条使用方便,灵敏度高,特异性强,适合田间大批量样品检测,可用于ToBRFV的精准监测及早期预警。