Phage-like infectious virus of the green alga Chlorococcum.

A pure culture of the green eukaryotic alga Chlorococcum sp. and a virus infectious for it were isolated. Infection of the culture leads to the destruction of most of the cells, although complete destruction of the culture is not usually observed. The virus particles are similar in morphology to bacteriophage and consist of a hexagonal head 220 nm long and 180 nm wide and a tail which is inside the head in a majority of the particles, but which is on the outside in some. The virus is not adsorbed on the cell membranes, but evidently penetrates into the zoospores through the flagellar channels, where particles of it are regularly found. Destruction of the nucleus and membrane structures of the cytoplasm occurs during growth of the virus, but the chloroplasts and mitochondria are retained. The membranes of infected cells are partially destroyed and the virus particles are released into the medium. The virus is designated as PLVCH (L)--page-like virus of Chlorococcum.