Electrophoretic transfer of viral proteins to nitrocellulose sheets and detection with peroxidase-bound lectins and protein A.

Peroxidase-bound protein A and lectins in combination with precipitable substrates were used to detect viral proteins and glycoproteins on 'Western blots'. The sensitivity of various methods was compared, including radioiodinated protein A, enzyme immunosorbent assay and peroxidase staining with DAP. The sensitivity of the peroxidase reaction, its rapidity and low cost compared with other methods make this a useful choice for developing protein bands transferred to nitrocellulose paper. In addition, a procedure was devised to clarify and fix nitrocellulose sheets for direct quantification of the precipitated substrate by densitometric analysis.