SEROLOGICAL AND ELECTROPHORETIC CHARACTERIZATOIN OF THE NECROTIC STRAIN CMV-NB OF CUCUMBER MOSAIC VIRUS

Serological and electrophoretic properties of Bulgarian isolate CMV-NB causing tomato fruit necrosis were investigated. Its serogroup affiliation was studied by means of indirect ELISA with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies as well as by immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis with sera against subgroups I and II of CMV. Strain NB belongs to subgroup I but distinguishes from the other tested strains from this group in counter and rocket immunoelectrophoresis especially. The electrophoretic mobility of capsid protein and whole virions of NB was also compared with those of other virus strains. Strain NB was characterized with very bigger mobility of virus particles in electric field. It explained differences established in immunoelectrophoretic analysis. The obtained results supposed presence of mutations in CMV-NB, which leaded to increasing negative surface charges of virions.