Characterization and serology of the leafhopper-borne maize yellow stripe virus in Egypt

Abstract

The nucleoprotein and non-capsid protein of maize yellow stripe virus (MYSV) were purified from naturally or experimentally infected maize or sorghum plants. In SDS-PAGE, the apparent molecular weight of the nucleoprotein was 35,6 KD, and that of the non-capsid protein was 14,7 KD. Similar to tenuiviruses, the nucleoprotein of MYSV was associated with fine filaments and the non-capsid protein formed typical needle-shaped crystals. Following a 2-day acquisition feeding period on MYSV-infected plants, vector leafhoppers (#Cicadulina chinai) remained highly infective for 21 days. Antisera to the nucleoprotein and non-capsid protein of MYSV were produced and used for detection of this virus in several host plants and vector leafhoppers in Egypt. Dot-blot and direct antigen coating (DAC) ELISA were used to detect MYSV in naturally or experimentally infected maize, wheat, barley, oat and the graminaceous weeds #Bromus wildenowii, #Cenchrus biflorus, #Dichanthium annulatum, #Digitaria sanguinalis, #Echinochloa colonum, #Setaria viridis and #S. verticillata. Dot-blot and DAC-ELISA were used also to detect MYSV in naturally or experimentally infective leafhoppers. (Résumé d'auteur