Isolation of Viruses by Electro-Extraction of Infected Plants

The isolation of viruses from infected plant material by a process termed electro-extraction appeared to be a convenient and simple method of obtaining viruses in a fair state of purity. The method has the advantage over the conventional methods of virus purification that the infected plant tissue is not disintegrated and that organic solvents such as chloroform and butanol are avoided. The procedure used was demonstrated on the extraction of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) from infected tobacco and turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) from Chinese cabbage plants. To obtain the virus it was found advisable to freeze and thaw the plants prior to extraction.