Abstract
The immunogold-silver staining technique was developed for the light microscopical localization of viral antigen in plant tissue. Semi-thin sections of LR White-embedded plant tissue were immunologically labelled with primary antiserum and protein A-gold. Individual gold particles were covered with a silver precipitate using a physical developer. This precipitate could be seen as black spots in a conventional light microscope with brightfield and as brilliant white spots with darkfield illumination. Maximal sensitivity and low background was obtained when immunogold-labelled sections were fixed in glutaraldehyde prior to silver enhancement. Simultaneous observation of the silver coated gold label and cell morphology was achieved by epipolarization microscopy. Using this technique cowpea chlorotic mottle virus coat protein was detected in cowpea plants as function of the infection period. Virus translocation and multiplication was monitored in systemically inoculated tissue, showing viral antigen in phloem parenchyma of petiolules 6 h after systemic inoculation and subsequent spreading from the phloem to the neighbouring bundle sheath and cortex cells.
Published Version
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