I. Maier et al., A DNA VIRUS INFECTING THE MARINE BROWN ALGA PILAYELLA-LITTORALIS (ECTOCARPALES, PHAEOPHYCEAE) IN CULTURE, European journal of phycology, 33(3), 1998, pp. 213-220
A new large DNA virus (PlitV-1) infects the marine filamentous brown a
lga Pilayella littoralis. It was collected in Alaska and infects other
P. littoralis isolates of different geographic origin. The virus has
an icosahedral capsid of c. 161 nm in diameter, enclosing an electron-
dense core. The genome consists of double-stranded DNA and is approxim
ately 280 000 base pairs in size. The virus is latent in somatic cells
of the host and is propagated only upon induction of the host's repro
ductive organs. It causes deformed sporangia, resulting in infertility
, and is structurally similar to other brown algal viruses. PCR amplif
ication of a genomic sequence coding for part of a structural glycopro
tein of the Ectocarpus siliculosus virus EsV-1 produced a fragment of
similar size to that obtained with EsV-1.