Purification, Characterization, and Serological Analysis of Maize Stripe Virus in Taiwan. C. C. Chen, Plant Pathologist, Taichung District Agricultural Improvement Station, Changhua 515, Taiwan. J. H. Tsai, R. J. Chiu, and M. J. Chen. Professor, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale 33314; Professor, Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratories, and Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan. Plant Dis. 77:367-372. Accepted for publication 19 November 1992. Copyright 1993 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-77-0367.

An isolate of maize stripe virus (MStV) was identified in Taiwan (MStV-T). The 34.7-kDa capsid protein and three noncapsid proteins (19.8, 20.4, and 22.5 kDa) purified from MStV-T infected corn plants were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and used as antigens for comparison with the capsid protein (35.0 kDa) and noncapsid protein (19.8 kDa) of maize stripe virus from Florida (MStV-FL). The antiserum to the 35.0-kDa capsid protein of MStV-FL reacted to the plants infected with MStV-T and purified MStV-T in indirect and double-antibody sandwich (DAS) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA); the antiserum to the 19.8-kDa noncapsid protein of MStV-FL reacted more strongly in indirect ELISA than in DAS-ELISA. Analysis by Western blots showed that the MStV-FL antisera reacted only with the capsid proteins from MStV-T, MStV-FL, and rice stripe virus (RSV); the noncapsid protein antiserum to MStV-FL reacted only with the noncapsid proteins of MStV-FL and MStV-T. The MStV-T virions were seen as fine-stranded particles with a helical structure, measuring about 12 nm in diameter and up to 709 nm long. The biology and characteristics of MStV-T confirm that this is a member of the tenuivirus group.