This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Addepalli, M.K. Articles by Kanai, K. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Addepalli, M.K. Articles by Kanai, K. Agricola Articles by Addepalli, M.K. Articles by Kanai, K.

A monoclonal antibody and the lectin wheat germ agglutinin induce zoospore encystment in Pythium porphyrae, a marine microbial pathogen

     Graduate School of Science & Technology, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo Machi Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan

Kinya Kanai

     Fish Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Fisheries, Nagasaki University, 1–14 Bunkyo, Machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan

Pythium porphyrae (Oomycota) is a microbial pathogen which causes red rot disease in the commercially cultivated red seaweed Porphyra. This disease is initiated by the motile zoospores of the fungus, which it has been suggested to recognize and process host specific signals by membrane bound receptors. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were developed against the surface components of zoospores and cysts of this fungus in order to try and identify the putative receptor molecules involved in the zoospore encystment process. Screening of MAbs by immunofluorescence assays has revealed three different patterns of surface epitope binding, while labeling of zoospore and cysts components by FITC-conjugated lectins has identified different carbohydrate moieties. Of the MAbs and lectins tested, MAb 1A3 and wheat germ agglutinin have induced zoospore encystment under in vitro conditions. MAb 1A3 identified a 109 KDa band of a glycoprotein in western blot analysis which could be a putative receptor responsible for the induction of zoospore encystment.

Key words: encystment, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flagella, immunofluorescence assay, monoclonal antibody, putative receptor, red rot disease