title: Electrophoretic and immunological evidence of unique proteins in leaves of citrus trees: application to citrus blight detection.
abstract: From the leaf tissue of healthy and blighted citrus trees 10-30 kDa soluble fractions were compared to find biochemical markers of tissue in the disease state. Using a non-denaturing extraction technique coupled with ultrafiltration, a resulting 10-30 kDa healthy and citrus blight fraction was sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Two distinct and adjacent bands for blight at an Mr of approximately 12,500 were separated. These bands were visible with Coomassie Brilliant Blue and silver stain but were negative to glycoprotein stains. An antiserum prepared against proteins isolated by preparative electrophoresis reacted only with the blight fractions and was distinctly different from healthy fractions when Western blotted. Only the gel region (Mr 12,500-13,000) of citrus blight sources was positive to the antiserum when compared with disease and nondisease stress sources. Results indicate that identification of specific proteins may be a way to diagnose the onset of citrus blight prior to visible tree symptoms.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Orlando, FL 32803.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bausher
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010935:Plant Diseases; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006023:Glycoproteins; D010940:Plant Proteins