Rapid Differentiation of Soybean Mosaic Virus Isolates by Antigenic Signature Analysis

Abstract

Antigenic differences among 14 soybean mosaic virus (SMV) isolates were shown by signature analysis employing a panel of nine well-characterized monoclonal antibodies. Sets of binding curves were generated by reacting aliquots of serial dilutions of leaf extracts from soybean plants infected with each strain of SMV simultaneously with each antibody in the panel. An iterative alignment procedure allowed comparison of binding profiles from different assays in which the starting concentrations of SMV antigen were unknown. Desiccation of infected soybean leaf tissue altered antigenic signatures by inducing changes in reactivity of epitopes recognized by certain antibodies. The method was useful for the elucidation of subtle antigenic differences among SMV strains. The procedure requires a minimum amount of tissue processing, the analysis is rapid and sensitive, and it requires neither purification nor knowledge of concentration of virus in ground leaf tissue from infected plants.

Molecular basis of resistance to soybean mosaic virus: reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and strain complementation analysis in soybeans

“…The complete nucleotide sequences of strains G2 and G7 have been determined [13]. SMV strains G2 and G7, although distinguished by pathogenicity on differential lines [21], have been difficult to differentiate serologically [9,10]. In nature, SMV is spread by aphids [17] and may result in infection of soybeans by mixed strains of the virus.…”