Partial separation on DEAE-sephadex of antibodies reactive with plant viruses and their protein subunits

Antibodies induced by the injection of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) or the protein of turnip crinkle virus (TCV) reacted with the viruses and their respective protein subunits in gel-diffusion tests. The ratios of virus-reactive antibodies to protein-reactive antibodies were different in two fractions obtained by chromatography of the sera on DEAE-Sephadex. The first DEAE-Sephadex fraction contained a greater proportion of virus-reactive antibodies than did the second fraction or the unfractionated antiserum. Electrophoretic mobility measurements a pH 8-6 showed that AMV and TCV had a greater negative charge per unit surface area than did their respective proteins