MELOIDOGYNE-JAVANICA SURFACE-PROTEINS - CHARACTERIZATION AND LABILITY

Characterization of surface coat (SC) proteins including carbohydrate- binding proteins and glycoproteins of the plant-parasitic nematode Mel oidogyne javanica 2nd-stage juvenile (J2) is reported. Extraction of s urface proteins with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and separation by de naturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) results with ba nds at 6, 9, 14, 22, 26, 31, 46, 49, 58, 66, 80, 205 and 250 kDa. On W estern blots, the neoglycoprotein, fucosylated-, mannosylated-and gluc osylated-bovine serum albumin, reacted with the 14, 22, 26, 58 and 66 kDa bands. The lectins, Concanavalin A and wheat-germ agglutinin (WGA) labelled surface protein bands of 6, 9, 14, 31, 58 and 66 kDa; WGA al so labelled the 22 and 26 kDa bands. Biotin reagents were used to spec ifically trace surface proteins on live J2. SDS-PAGE of biotinylated J 2 extracts revealed only 2 specific biotin-protein bands at 46 and 49 kDa. The labile and transitory nature of Meloidogyne javanica SC was d emonstrated by the dynamics of human red blood cells (HRBC) adherence to J2 of different ages. HRBC adherence was also used to demonstrate t he SC recovery of detergent-treated J2, which was further exhibited in the SDS-PAGE profiles.