Abstract
Electron microscopical observations on algal samples collected in 1992 in the middle or final stages of a red tide in Hiroshima Bay, Japan, revealed virus-like particles (VLPs) in the red tide alga Heterosigma akashiwo (Class Raphidophyceae). The host cells appeared moribund and the VLPs were located in and around the nuclear area. The VLPs were icosahedral, ca. 185 nm in diameter, and generated from the periphery of several viroplasms. VLPs were also observed in three other types of H. akashiwo-like cells, which were morphologically distinguishable from each other. The appearance of VLPs in the red tide alga could explain the dramatically rapid termination of this red tide.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bratbak G, Egge JK, Heldal M (1993) Viral mortality of the marine alga Emiliania huxleyi (Haptophyceae) and termination of algal blooms. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 93:39–48
Dodds JA (1979) Viruses of marine algae. Experientia 35:440–442
Fujisawa H (1984) Genetic control of the head assembly of doublestranded DNA bacteriophages. Jap J Genet 59:417–435
Hallegraeff GM (1991) Aquaculturists' guide to harmful Australian microalgae. CRISO, Hobert
Hara Y, Chihara M (1982) Ultrastructure and taxonomy of Chattonella (Class Raphidophyceae) in Japan. Jap J Phycol 30:47–56 (in Japanese with English abstract)
Hara Y, Chihara M (1987) Morphology, ultrastructure and taxonomy of the Raphidophycean alga Heterosigma akashiwo. Bot Mag Tokyo 100:151–163
Honjo T (1993) Overview on bloom dynamics and physiological ecology of Heterosigma akashiwo. In: Samyda TJ, Shimizu Y (eds) Toxic phytoplankton blooms in the sea. Elsevier, New York, pp 33–41
Johnson PW, Sieburth J McN (1982) In situ morphology and occurrence of eucaryotic phototrophs of bacterial size in the picoplankton of estuarine and oceanic waters. J Phycol 18:318–327
Larsen J, Moestrup Ø (1989) Guide to toxic and potentially toxic marine algae. Fish Inspective Service, Ministry of Fisheries, Copenhagen
Schnepf E, Soeder CJ, Hegewald E (1970) Polyhedral viruslike particles lysing the aquatic phycomycete Aphelidium sp., a parasite of the green alga Scenedesmus armatus. Virology 42:482–487
Sicko-Goad L, Walker G (1979) Viroplasm and large virus-like particles in the dinoflagellate Gymnodinium uberrimum. Protoplasma 99:203–210
Sieburth J McN, Johnson PW, Hargraves PE (1988) Ultrastructure and ecology of Aureococcus anophagefferens gen. et sp. nov. (Chrysophyceae): the dominant picoplankter during a bloom in Narrangansett Bay, Rhode Island, summer 1985. J Phycol 24: 416–425
Suttle CA, Chan AM, Cottrel MT (1990) Infection of phytoplankton by viruses and reduction of primary productivity. Nature, Lond 347:467–469
Swale EMF, Belcher JH (1973) A light and electron microscope study of the colorless flagellate Aulacomonas Skuja. Arch Mikrobiol 92:91–103
Van Etten JL, Lane LC, Meints RH (1991) Viruses and viruslike particles of eucaryotic algae. Microbiol Rev 55:586–620
Wada M, Hara Y, Yamada M, Fujii T (1987) Diurnal appearance, fine structure, and chemical composition of fatty particles in Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae). Protoplasma 137: 134–139
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by T. Ikeda, Nagasaki
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nagasaki, K., Ando, M., Imai, I. et al. Virus-like particles in Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae): a possible red tide disintegration mechanism. Marine Biology 119, 307–312 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00349570
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00349570