A FELDMANNIA ALGAL VIRUS HAS 2 GENOME SIZE-CLASSES

Persistent viruses occur intracellularly in brown algae, specifically the Ectocarpales, and as reported here in the genus Feldmannia. Feldma nnia species are small (1 mm-several cm), filamentous forms with singl e-celled meiotic sporangia that normally produce haploid zoospores. In the isolate reported here, spores were not observed in the sporangia but rather numerous (similar to 10(6) per cell) polyhedral viruses are formed in their place. Two dsDNA genome classes of 158 and 178 kbp, w ith two restriction site variants of each, are described. The individu al abundance of each genome in viral preparations is affected by cultu re temperature. A cosmid library was used to generate circular restric tion enzyme (BamHI, Notl, and Pstl)Site maps. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.