title: Identification of a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus by using monoclonal antibodies in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
abstract: Spore morphology is currently used to identify species of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. We report the first use of a highly specific immunological method for identification of a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Two monoclonal antibodies were produced against Glomus occultum. Monoclonal antibodies reacted strongly with both spores and hyphae in an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All other mycorrhizal (29 species) and nonmycorrhizal (5 species) fungi tested were nonreactive with the monoclonal antibodies. A single spore of G. occultum was detectable in the presence of high numbers of spores of other vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Variation in the reaction of G. occultum isolates from West Virginia, Florida, and Colombia suggests that monoclonal antibodies may differentiate strains.
authors.affiliation: Appalachian Soil and Water Conservation Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beckley, West Virginia 25802-0867, and Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6057.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Morton
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sworobuk