Monoclonal antibodies against the maize bushy stunt agent

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Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies against a mycoplasmalike organism that causes maize bushy stunt disease were produced by using partially purified preparations from infected corn plants as immunogen. Splenic cells from immunized mice were fused with P3/NS-1/1-Ag4-1 murine myeloma cells. Four stable hybridoma clones that secreted specific antibodies against the maize bushy stunt mycoplasmalike organism were selected from several thousand clones. The monoclonal antibodies were isotyped and determined to belong to immunoglobulin classes IgM and IgG2a. With these monoclonal antibodies, the maize bushy stunt mycoplasmalike organism was specifically identified from infected corn tissue by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in vitro and by immunofluorescent staining in situ. Mycoplasmalike organisms associated with aster yellows (New Jersey strain), clover phyllody, eastern X disease, elm yellows, paulownia witches''-broom, and sweet potato witches''-broom were differentiated from maize bushy stunt agent by serology using these monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies specific to maize bushy stunt mycoplasmalike organism also did not react with two plant pathogenic spiroplasmas: Spiroplasma kunkelii and Spiroplasma citri.