EFFECTS OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES, CATIONIZED FERRITIN, AND OTHER ORGANIC-MOLECULES ON ADHESION OF PASTEURIA-PENETRANS ENDOSPORES TO MELOIDOGYNE-INCOGNITA

The incidence of adhesion of Pasteuria penetrans endospores to Meloido gyne incognita second-stage juveniles (J2) was studied after pretreatm ent of the latter with monoclonal antibodies (MAb), cationized ferriti n, and other organic molecules in replicated trials. Monoclonal antibo dies developed to a cuticular epitope of M. Incognita second-stage juv eniles gave significant reductions in attachment of P, penetrans endos pores to treated nematodes. MAb bound to the entire length of J2 excep t for the area of the lateral field, where binding was restricted to t he incisures. Since reductions in attachment with MAb treatment were m odest, it is uncertain if these results implicated a specific surface protein as a factor that interacted in binding of the endospore to the nematode cuticle. Endospore attachment was decreased following treatm ent of the nematode with the detergents sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) a nd cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Endospore attachment to live nematodes was significantly greater than attachment to dead nematodes . Attachment rates of three P. penetrans isolates to M. Incognita race 3 varied between isolates. The effects of neuraminidase, pronase, pep sin, trypsin, lipase, and Na periodate on endospore attachment were in consistent. The cationic dye alcian blue, which binds sulfate and carb oxyl groups on acidic glycans, had no consistent effect on endospore a ttachment. The incidence of endospore attachment was significantly low er but modest, at best, for nematodes that were treated with cationize d ferritin alone or cationized ferritin following monoclonal antibody. The lack of consistency or extreme reduction in most experiments sugg ests that attachment of P. penetrans spores to M. incognita is not spe cified by only one physico-chemical factor, but may involve a combinat ion of at least two physico-chemical factors (including surface charge and movement of the J2). This points to a need for analysis of combin ed or factorial treatment effects.