PRODUCTION OF POLYCLONAL AND MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AGAINST HYPHAE FROM ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI

Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies were produced against hyphae of t he arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus monosporum. The polyclonal ant ibodies (pAbs) were raised in a rabbit by immunizing with hyphae. They were tested for their specificity by a dot-immunoblot assay (DIBA). A fter the third immunization, a distinct difference in the signal stren gth was observed between the antisera and the preimmune serum. The pAb s showed cross-reactions to a number of fungal species, both mycorrhiz al and other. For the production of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), mice were immunized intraperitoneally with hyphae. The resulting hybridoma cell culture supernatants were tested by an indirect immunolabeling p rocedure. For this purpose the hyphae were immobilized on silane-coate d microscopic slides. The mAb 8A7 reacted with hyphae from all Glomus isolates tested so far. Cross-reactivities were not observed with hyph ae from fungi of the family Acaulosporaceae, phytopathogenic fungi tes ted so far, or from spores from Glomus species.