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By Stephanie Boone
Virus Facts
Most abundant life form in aquatic systems. In the ocean the total number exceeds 1029. Marine viruses high concentrations up to 10 8 in ml-1 Play a significant role in the transfer of matter and energy in aquatic microbial food webs. Infect at least some members of all the major classes of freshwater and marine algae.
true parasitism (chronic infection/cellular release without death) to predation (lytic infection resulting in cell death).
Ecological Significance
Play a significant role in the
transfer of matter and energy in aquatic microbial food webs. Viral lysis of algae effects carbon nutrient flow.
Carbon stored in dissolved organic matter released into system. May influence carbon cycling and climate.
Algal Viruses
Despite the established
ecological importance of marine viruses there have been few studies which extensively investigate and characterize viruses of algae. The viruses studied extensively fall into two catagories.
Large ds DNA viruses. PBCV-1, Fsv, EsV Small viruses. HaRNA, HaNIV
Common characteristics
Found on five continents tropical, subtropical seawater, and freshwater large icosahedral particles 130-190 nm diameter large dsDNA genomes 160380 kb Viral capsid assembly and DNA packaging occurs in the cytoplasm
Feldmannia virus (FsV) infect brown algae densely packed polyhedral viral particles do not infect vegetative cells viral particles displace normal reproductive cells producing sterility Viral capsid assembly and DNA packaging occur in the cytoplasm after nuclear membrane degeneration.
Small Viruses
Heterosigma akashiwo nuclear
inclusion virus (HaNIV) and Heterosigma akashiwo RNA virus (HaRNAV) infect the algae
Conclusion: Need more research. We know very very little about the viruses that
infect algae.
References: Van Etten J L, & Meints R H. Giant viruses infecting algae. Annual Review of Microbiology 1999;53:447-494. Weinbauer M G, & Rassoulzadegan F. Are viruses driving microbial diversification and diversity. Envirnmental Microbiology 2004; 6: 1-11. Lawrence J E. & Chan A M. A novel virus (HaNIV) causes lysis of the toxic bloomforming alga Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae). Journal of Phycology 2001; 37:216-222. Tai V, Lawerence J E, Lang A S, Chan A M, Culley A I, Suttle C A. Characetrization of HaRNAV, a single stranded RNA virus causing lysis of Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae). Journal of Phycology 2003; 39: 343-352.