INHERITANCE AND MEIOTIC ELIMINATION OF A VIRUS GENOME IN THE HOST ECTOCARPUS SZLZCULOSUS (PHAEOPHYCEAE)1 |
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| Authors: | Martin Brutigam Michael Klein Rolf Knippers Dieter G Müller |
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| Institution: | Martin Bräutigam,Michael Klein,Rolf Knippers,Dieter G. Müller |
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| Abstract: | The marine brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus (Dillwyn) Lyngbye is frequently infected by a latent DNA virus that multiplies in modified sporangia and gametangia of the host. We describe a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure for the amplification and detection of viral DNA in Ectocarpus. PCR analysis of parents and progeny plants confirmed that virus DNA passes through meiosis like a Mendelian trait. An infected sporophyte produced equal numbers of gametophytes with and without the viral genome. Thus, meiosis in sexual populations of the host acts as a mechanism for the creation of virus-free progeny. |
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| Keywords: | Ectocarpus siliculosus EsV latency marine DNA virus meiosis PCR Phaeophyceae specificity virus detection |
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