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Virus particles are produced in deformed reproductive organs (sporangia or gametangia) of the hosts and are released into the surrounding seawater.
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Their infective potential is lost after several days of storage under laboratory conditions.
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New infections occur when gametes or spores of the host get in contact with virus particles. The virus genome enters all cells of the developing new plant via mitosis.
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Virus expression is variable, and in many cases the viability of the host is not impaired. Infected host plants may be partly fertile and pass the infection to their daughter plants.
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Meiosis of the host can eliminate the virus genome and generate healthy progeny.
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The genome of the Ectocarpus virus consists of dsDNA. Meiotic segregation patterns suggest an intimate association between virus genome and host chromosomes.
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An extra-generic host range has been demonstrated for the Ectocarpus virus.
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Field observations suggest that virus infections in ectocarpalean algae occur on all coasts of the world, and many or all Ectocarpus and Feldmannia populations are subject to contact with virus genomes.
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