Discovery of a dsRNA virus infecting the marine photosynthetic protist Micromonas pusilla.
We report the isolation of the first double-stranded (ds) RNA virus in the family Reoviridae that infects a protist (microalga Micromonas pusilla, Prasinophyceae). The dsRNA genome was composed of 11 segments ranging between 0.8 and 5.8 kb, with a total size of approximately 25.5 kb. The virus (MpRNAV-01B) could not be assigned to the genus level because host type, genome size, and number of segments smaller than 2 kb did not correspond to either of the two existing 11-segmented dsRNA genera Rotavirus and Aquareovirus. MpRNAV-01B has a particle size of 65-80 nm, a narrow host range, a latent period of 36 h, and contains five major proteins (120, 95, 67, 53, and 32 kDa). MpRNAV-01B was stable to freeze-thawing, resistant to chloroform, ether, nonionic detergents, chelating and reducing agents. The virus was inactivated at temperatures above 35 degrees C and by ionic detergent, ethanol, acetone, and acidic conditions (pH 2-5).
Department of Biological Oceanography, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, NL-1790 AB Den Burg, The Netherlands. corina.brussaard@nioz.nl
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Brussaard
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Noordeloos
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Sandaa
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Heldal
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Bratbak
D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology*; D003902:Detergents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D019163:Reducing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D013045:Species Specificity; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D038301:Virus Inactivation / Q000187:drug effects; D017735:Virus Latency
D002614:Chelating Agents; D003902:Detergents; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D019163:Reducing Agents; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins