Characterization and detection ofCucumber green mottle mosaic virus in Greece

The host range specificity of Greek isolates ofCucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) was determined and the ability of the virus to retain its infectivity in naturally contaminated soil, after storage at 4°C for at least 10 months, was established. An immunocapture RT-PCR protocol was developed for the detection of the virus and proved to be 10⁵ times more sensitive than DAS-ELISA and 10² times more sensitive than F(ab’)₂-ELISA using F(ab’)₂ fragments that were prepared from an antiserum, which was raised against a local virus isolate. In order to clarify dissimilarities that were revelaed between the coat protein (CP) genes of the Greek isolates after restriction mapping of their respective PCR products, the CP genes of three isolates were sequenced and found to be very similar but not identical to the CP gene of CGMMV-SH. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Aug. 27, 2002.