Detection of plant viruses using a surface plasmon resonance via complexing with specific antibodies

The use of instrumental systems based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for rapid diagnosis of intact plant viruses (in particular, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)) is considered. A new approach using detection of viral antigen and antibody (IgG) complexes formed during the preincubation step (instead of their consecutive application in classical approach) is discussed. A comparison between signal level registered from the mixture of virus and specific serum and that from the sample without virus (samples deposited onto the sensor surface treated with thiocyanate and protein A Staphylococcus aureus) allows unambiguous detection of viral particles in the material studied. The performance capabilities of the method are discussed and illustrated by quantitative detection of virus in the actual samples (cells homogenate) at high concentration. 0 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.