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Some Properties of Potato Mop-Top Virus and its Serological Relationship to Tobacco Mosaic Virus
Abstract
SUMMARY
Potato mop-top (PMTV) and tobacco mosaic (TMV) viruses are serologically related, but only slightly. An antiserum with a titre of 1600 against TMV had a titre of only 5 against PMTV. Similarly, an antiserum with a titre of 2048 against PMTV had a titre of only 8 against TMV; when diluted in saline this antiserum did not precipitate TMV, but did when diluted in 0.1 m EDTA pH 7.7. Particles of PMTV were of many lengths, with peaks in the distribution of lengths at 250 to 300 nm. and 100 to 150 nm. Only the longest particles were infective. They had the same width and pitch of the protein helix as TMV particles. Sap from infected leaves contained only few particles, many of which were defective; the main defect was the uncoiling of the protein from one end. Plants infected with TMV are partially protected against infection by PMTV.
- Received:
- Accepted:
- Published Online:
© Journal of General Virology 1972