Production of monoclonal antibodies for detection and identification of strains of potato virus Y

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and polyclonal antisera were prepared against specific strains representing each of the three strain groups of potato virus Y (PVY); the common or ordinary strain group (PVYO), the tobacco veinal necrosis strain group (PVYN), and the stipple streak strain group (PVYC). The objective was to produce MAbs specific for each of the three strain groups. The MAbs were compared with commercially available MAbs reported to he specific for PVYN, the strain group that is a particular problem in potato quarantine and certification programs, None of the PVY MAbs proved to be completely specific when tested against a broad range of PVY strains originating From various parts of the world. They either reacted with one or more of the PVYO or PVYC strain groups or failed to react with all of the PVYN strains. One of the MAbs produced in this study, designated 1F5. detected all of the PVYN strains tested but it also cross-reacted with two PVYO strains. Despite this deficiency, it was considered to be superior to any available MAbs for die detection of PVYN. Another MAb, 6H11, was specific For the PVYC strain group, and a third, 4C3, was capable of detecting all PW strains that were tested and therefore could serve as a universal detection probe for PVY. The polyclonal antisera were nonspecific and therefore of little value for identification of members of the three strain groups.