A Comparison of an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Western Blotting for Detection of Peanut Mottle Virus and Peanut Stripe Virus1

Abstract

Abstract Western blotting was used to detect infections of peanut cv. Tamnut 74 with peanut mottle virus (PMV) and/or peanut stripe virus (PStV). Leaf samples were ground in electrophoresis sample buffer and heated for 5 min at 95 C prior to electrophoresis in 12% polyacrylamide gels. After electrophoresis, proteins were transferred to nitrocellulose sheets at 100V for 45 min. Western blots were performed by first blocking unbound sites on the nitrocellulose with 5% non-fat dry milk in Tris-buffered saline (TBS), pH 7.4 for 30 min, followed by incubation in a 1/200 dilution of PMV and/or PStV antiserum in TBS (the latter antiserum provided by J. W. Demski, U. of GA) for 45 min. This was followed by incubation in protein-A-peroxidase (2 μg/mL in TBS) for 45 min, followed by 4-chloro-1-napthol plus hydrogen peroxide in TBS. As little as 25 ng of either purified PMV or PStV was detected. This was similar to the limits of detection fo the double sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Because of the difference in migration of the coat proteins of PMV and PStV, both viruses may be detected in plants infected with PMV and PStV. This assay can be performed in approximately 6 h when mini-gels are used for the initial electrophoretic seperation and does not require the antiserum to be fractionated or bound to an enzyme as is the case with ELISA.