Double-stranded RNA virus in the human pathogenic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis.
Double-stranded RNA viruses were detected in a strain of Blastomyces dermatitidis isolated from a patient in Uganda. The viral particles are spherical (mostly 44 to 50 nm in diameter) and consist of about 25% double-stranded RNA (5 kb) and 75% protein (90 kDa). The virus contains transcriptional RNA polymerase activity; it synthesized single-stranded RNA in vitro in a conservative manner. The newly synthesized single-stranded RNA was a full-length strand, and the rate of chain elongation was approximately 170 nucleotides per min. The virus-containing strain shows no morphological difference from virus-free strains in the mycelial phase. Although the association with the presence of the virus is unclear, the virus-infected strain converts to the yeast form at 37 degrees C, but the yeast cells fail to multiply at that temperature.
Kohno
S
S
Clinical Mycology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Fujimura
T
T
Rulong
S
S
Kwon-Chung
K J
KJ
D001758:Blastomyces / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000821:virology*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000032:analysis*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D014771:Virion / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases