Application of immunoelectron microscopy techniques in the diagnosis of phytoplasma diseases.

ABSTRACT

An immunoelectron microscopy technique was applied to label Chrysanthemum leuchanthemum phytoplasma in infected leaf tissues of Chrysanthemum leuchanthemum L. and Catharanthus roseus L. plants. Specific monoclonal antibodies at different dilutions and secondary antimouse antibody conjugated with colloidal gold particles of different sizes were used. The monoclonal antibodies demonstrated their specificity against the antigen; immunocytological methods permitted the precise localization and identification of phytoplasmas in thin sections from infected tissues.