High plains disease of corn and wheat: ultrastructural and serological aspects

Virus-like particles with unique size and morphology were consistently associated with a new eriophyid mite-borne disease of maize and wheat, the high plains disease. In cells of symptomatic leaves, double membrane-bound particles (DMPs), quasi-spherical structures 120-200 nm in diameter, were present throughout the cytoplasm in association with electron-dense amorphous inclusions. No DMPs and inclusions were observed in symptomless plants. The DMPs were morphologically indistinguishable from those associated with eriophyid mite-borne diseases of uncertain etiology: fig mosaic, rose rosette, yellow ringspot of redbud, thistle mosaic, wheat spot chlorosis and wheat spot mosaic diseases. The DMPs and associated viroplasm-like inclusions in maize and wheat were specifically immunogold labeled in situ with an antiserum to the 32 kDa protein associated specifically with the high plains disease. Thread-like structures, present in the purified preparations from diseased maize were also immunogold labeled with the antiserum. It is suggested that the thread-like structures are derived from the DMPs. In many cells of symptomatic maize and wheat samples, DMPs occurred together with flexuous rod-shaped particles and cylindrical inclusions of wheat streak mosaic potyvirus (WSMV), indicating that these cells are infected doubly with WSMV and the agent represented by the DMPs.