Immunochemical studies of turnip yellow mosaic virus--II. Localization of a viral epitope in the N-terminal residues of the coat protein

The N-terminal region of the coat protein of turnip yellow mosaic virus has been shown by immunochemical means to be present on the external surface of the virion. Seven synthetic peptides corresponding to overlapping regions of residues 1–12 of the coat protein have been prepared. The inhibitory activity of these peptides was measured by complement fixation tests, RIA and ELISA, using either antibodies directed to the depolymerized viral subunits or antibodies to the capsid. The activity of peptides varied markedly in different assays, illustrating the advantage of using several different immunochemical methods for the analysis of viral antigenic determinants.