Western blotting of RStV gene products in rice and insects

The NS3 and NC protein genes encoded by RNA3 of RStV, the NCP and NSvc4protein genes encoded by RNA4 were subcloned into the E. coli expression vectorpGEX3X to express four groups of fusion protein under IPTG induction. These fusionproteins were used to immunize rabbits to raise antisera. The antisera against the Ecoli-expressed proteins were available for probing the presence of the viral geneproducts in both rice plant and insect hosts. The expected gene products can beprobed only in diseased rice plant with NCP antiserum and the cormsponding productsdetected in both plant and RStV panicle preparation with NC anhserum. The viralgene products probed by NS3 and NSvc4 anhsera were different from the expectedones in size.