Partial Purification of the Virus Associated with Enset Chlorotic Leaf Disease

Abstract

Purification procedures developed for other members of the. bacilliform DNA (BADNA) virus genus did not work for the virus associated with enset (Ensete ventricosum) chlorotic leaf streak disease whereas continuous check-ups of the same diseased enset leaf samples by dot blot ELISA gave positive reaction to banana streak virus antiserum. Therefore, incubation of the diseased leaf samples under -70°C for different periods of time was thought to rupture the mucilaginous tissue for facilitating the purification. Based on this approach, a minimum incubation period of 4 weeks under -70°C was found effective in liberating the BADNA particles from the enset leaf. The only problem encountered was keeping the virus particle at its correct density in cesium sulphate gradient. The bullet shaped virus particles (bacilliform DNA virus) associated with enset chlorotic leaf streak were found to have a length
of 100-175 nm with an average of 137.5 nm and a width of 25-32 nm, averaging 28.5 nm, which is in accordance with the other BADNA genus members.