Abstract:
Objective A specific, rapid method based on the polyclonal antibody prepared using purified recombinant CP protein for detecting a typical Potyvirus, pepper mottle virus (PepMoV), on Capsicum annuum L. was developed to assess the distribution, occurrence ratio, and pathogenicity of the disease in China.
Methods The 822 bp of CP was amplified by specific RT-PCR using the total RNA of PepMoV-infected chili peppers. It was cloned into prokaryotic expressing plasmid pET28α and expressed in E. coli DH5α. The recombinant CP protein was purified by Ni-NTA chromatography and used as the antigen to prepare the polyclonal antibodies to be verified by ID-ELISA and western blotting.
Results The purified recombinant CP protein was approximately 37 kDa, and the prepared polyclonal antibody verified to specifically recognize PepMoV CP protein. The ID-ELISA method detected 20.00% PepMoV infection on field chili pepper specimens in Hunan and 43.33% in Guizhou.
Conclusion The established specific and rapid detection method based on the polyclonal antibody against CP protein of PepMoV was applied to survey the disease spreading on chili peppers in China. It provided a tool for further studies on the CP protein.