Antibodies and proteins useful for assaying virus infection in grape plants

An isolated antibody that specifically binds to a polypeptide encoded by a grapevine plant virus wherein:

• the polypeptide migrates at an apparent molecular weight of about 37 kd in a 8% Tricine-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel;
• the antibody does not react with closteroviruses or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1, or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 4, or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 5;
• the polypeptide reacts with monoclonal antibodies produced by the hybridoma cell line 19A12, ATCC Accession No. HB-12134;
• and
• the polypeptide is the coat protein of an RNA-containing plant virus.

An isolated grapevine virus polypeptide:

• wherein the polypeptide migrates at an apparent molecular weight of about 37 kd in a 8% Tricine-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel;
• wherein the polypeptide is not reactive with antibodies generated against or reactive with closteroviruses or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1, or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 4, or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 5;
• and
• wherein the polypeptide reacts with monoclonal antibodies produced by the hybridoma cell line 19A12, ATCC Accession No. HB-12134.

A kit for detecting a grapevine plant virus comprising an antibody that specifically binds to a polypeptide encoded by a grapevine plant virus,

• wherein the antibody does not react with closteroviruses or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1, or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 4, or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 5;
• wherein the polypeptide migrates at an apparent molecular weight of about 37 kd in a 8% Tricine-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel;
• and,
• wherein the polypeptide reacts with a monoclonal antibody produced by the hybridoma cell line 19A12, ATCC Accession No. HB-12134.

An isolated viral polypeptide which migrates at an apparent molecular weight of about 37 kd in a 8% Tricine-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel, wherein said polypeptide is not reactive with antibodies generated against closterovirus or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1, or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 4, or grapevine leafroll-associated virus 5, prepared by a process comprising:

• separating grapevine leafroll-associated virus 8 coat protein virus polypeptides by gel electrophoresis using an 8% Tricine-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel;
• excising an area of a gel including polypeptides with an apparent molecular weight of about 37 kd;
• and,
• eluting the excised polypeptides from the gel.