An ultrastructural study and model of membrane-intramitochondrial virus relationships.

Intramitochondrial virions (IMV), in many respects structurally similar to 'C-type' viruses of higher organisms, are synthesized in close topographical association with inner mitochondrial membranes of the viper spleen cell line, VSW. Cristal membranes contribute to the formation of a trilaminar viral envelope, whereas the outer mitochondrial membrane does not appear to play any structural role in virion maturation. Two schematic models, correlated with electron microscopic images, are presented to depict: (a) the relative location of the particles within a three-dimensional view of the mitochondrion, and (b) the sequence of virion-mitochondrial membrane relationships during morphogenesis.