Production of monoclonal antibodies against synthetic peptides of the N-terminal region of Potato virus Y coat protein and their use in PVY strain differentiation

Antibodies were prepared against two synthetic peptides, P19 and P11, derived from the coat protein N-terminal region of two pepper isolates of Potato virus Y from Tunisia (PVY-P21 and PVY-P2, respectively). The peptides were selected by comparing the predicted amino acid sequences of three pepper and four potato PVY isolates on the basis of their polymorphism and hydrophilicity. Sera with high titres were only obtained against P19. Three MAbs, raised in response to P19, reacted with the homologous virus (PVY-P21) in TAS-ELISA. When tested against a broad range of PVY isolates and related viruses, MAb 3C5 proved to be PVY species specific, whereas MAbs 8A4 and 1D6 reacted specifically with standard isolates of PVYO, PVYC and PVYN-W strains, but not with other PVY isolates. Consequently, epitope(s) recognized by 8A4 and 1D6 MAbs may be specific to a PVY group comprising all serologically PVYnon–N isolates. Surprisingly, and unlike isolate PVY-P21, many Tunisian field pepper isolates did not carry this epitope(s), thus revealing serological heterogeneity within the PVY pepper group. As PVY is one of the most economically important plant pathogens in a range of crops, including pepper, these MAbs will provide a useful tool for practical diagnosis and strain identification of PVY.