Effects of ultrasonic treatment on turnip mosaic virus and potato virus X

• Published in: Virology (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 267 - 278
• Main Authors: Tomlinson, J.A., Walkey, D.G.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.1967
• Subjects: Antigens - analysis; Immunodiffusion; Microscopy, Electron; Plant Viruses - immunology; Ultrasonics
• ISSN: 0042-6822; 1096-0341
• DOI: 10.1016/0042-6822(67)90276-0

Particle length distributions of turnip mosaic virus and potato virus X (PVX) by electron microscopy showed that sonication produced an increase in the proportion of short virus fragments. In serological gel diffusion tests, turnip mosaic virus gave no precipitation line and PVX usually formed an indistinct line. Sonicated virus preparations formed single, prominent precipitation lines. Preparations of both viruses were almost noninfective after 160 seconds' sonication. Some preparations of PVX, however, were more infective after sonication for 20–40 seconds. Gel diffusion tests with fractionated preparations of sonicated turnip mosaic virus showed that all the antigen consisted of short fragments (25–200 mμ). In contrast, sonicated PVX preparations contained nonsedimentable as well as sedimentable antigen. Nonsedimentable antigen contained no fragments identifiable in the electron microscope. Sonicated antigen produced a somatic rather than a flagellar-type precipitate. No change in serological specificity was detected in antisera prepared against sonicated and nonsonicated PVX.