VIEW ARTICLE

Cytology and Histology

Intracellular Location of Beet Curly Top Virus Antigen as Revealed by Fluorescent Antibody Staining. W. R. Thornley, Immunologist, Beet Sugar Development Foundation, Agricultural Research-Science and Education Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Crops Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, 84322; D. L. Mumford, plant pathologist, Agricultural Research-Science and Education Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Crops Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, 84322. Phytopathology 69:738-740. Accepted for publication 19 January 1979. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc., 1979. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-69-738.

The intracellular location of beet curly top virus (BCTV) antigen was studied by using the fluorescent antibody method on paraffin sections and enzyme-separated cells of sugarbeet hypocotyl. Infected cells were examined from tissue collected daily, beginning 1 day after vein-clearing symptoms first were observed. The percentage of infected cells with detectable antigen restricted to the nucleus was high in tissue from plants collected shortly after vein-clearing appeared. The percentage of infected cells with antigen in both the nucleus and cytoplasm increased progressively after initial symptom development. These results indicate that BCTV initially is located in the nucleus but subsequently is distributed throughout the cytoplasm.