Antibody production. TSWV isolate KP (TSWV-KP) from
pepper was propagated in Nicotiana rustica after mechanical
inoculation with TSWV-KP particles (Kim et al., 2004). For TSWV
purification, the systemic leaves of the inoculated N. tabacum
plants were harvested after 14 days inoculation and the leaf
tissues were used for TSWV purification, as described previously
(Joubert et al., 1974). The purified TSWV-KP particles
were verified using SDS-PAGE analysis, according to standard
protocol (Sambrook et al., 1989). Polyclonal antibodies were
produced in rabbits by immunization with the purified TSWV-KP
conjugates. For the first immunization, the immunogen
(0.1 mg) was suspended in 2 ml of 0.5× phosphate buffer saline
(PBS), emulsified with 2 ml Freund’s complete adjuvant and
injected subcutaneously in two rabbits for each immunogen.
Four booster dose immunizations were given at monthly
intervals after the first immunization using 0.1 mg TSWV virions
in 2 ml of 0.5× PBS buffer emulsified with Freund’s incomplete
adjuvant. About 10–12 ml serum was collected from the
marginal ear vein, 14 days after each booster. Sera that exhibited
a strong immunogenic response were further purified
by affinity chromatography using ProteinA affinity chromatography
columns and dialyzed against 10 mM sodium phosphate
buffer (pH 7.2), according to manufacturer’s instructions (PALL,
USA).