Components in the haustorial wall of the flax rust fungus, Melampsora lini, are labelled by three anti-calmodulin monoclonal antibodies

Immunolocalisation studies, using flax leaf material infected with the flax rust fungus, Melampsora lini, and isolated haustorial complexes, have shown that three anti-calmodulin monoclonal antibodies bind to the haustorial wall of the fungus. The epitopes recognised by these antibodies are inserted into the wall during the early stages of haustorium development and remain in the wall throughout the life of the haustorium. The epitopes are present in both compatible and incompatible reactions and are oligosaccharide in nature. The results provide evidence for molecular differentiation within the haustorial complex of M. lini.