PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES TO ANTIGENS FROM 2ND STAGE JUVENILES OF THE POTATO CYST-NEMATODE, GLOBODERA-ROSTOCHIENSIS

Following immunization of mice with different antigens from Globodera rostochiensis, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were screened by fluoresce nce microscopy for reaction with specific structures in second stage j uveniles (J2) of G. rostochiensis. MAbs were obtained which bound to t he subventral oesophageal glands, the body-wall muscle filaments, the genital primordium, the intestinal lumen, cell nuclei, and the cuticle surface. The MAbs to the subventral glands also bound to the subventr al glands in J2 of G. pallida and G. tabacum but not in J2 of Heterode ra glycines, H. schachtii, Meloidogyne hapla or M. incognita. Three su bventral gland MAbs reacted with a water soluble epitope in native pro tein extracts from J2 of G. rostochiensis. The MAbs to the body-wall m uscle filaments also bound to the body-wall musculature in J2 of G. pa llida, H. schachtii, M. hapla, and M. incognita. On Western blots of J 2 of G. rostochiensis these MAbs reacted with two proteins of 39 kDa a nd > 106 kDa respectively.