Reactivity of Two Monoclonal Antibodies to the Cylindrical Inclusion Protein of Potato Virus Y

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced to the cylindrical inclusion (CI) protein of a necrotic strain of potato virus Y (PVY-N) and their reactivity tested with nine PVY isolates and 12 other potyviruses. mAb 95 showed a reactivity range larger than PVY, unlike mAb 88 which only recognised the PVY isolates. Moreover, immunogold labelling of the CIs of PVY-N, either in situ or in cell extracts, was only obtained with mAb 88, thus showing that the corresponding virus-specific epitope is located at the surface of the CI polymer.