Remarkable morphological diversity of viruses and virus-like particles in hot terrestrial environments (original) (raw)

Summary.

Electron microscopic studies of the viruses in two hot springs (85 °C, pH 1.5–2.0, and 75–93 °C, pH 6.5) in Yellowstone National Park revealed particles with twelve different morphotypes. This diversity encompassed known viruses of hyperthermophilic archaea, filamentous Lipothrixviridae, rod-shaped Rudiviridae, and spindle-shaped Fuselloviridae, and novel morphotypes previously not observed in nature. Two virus types resembled head-and-tail bacteriophages from the families Siphoviridae and Podoviridae, and constituted the first observation of these viruses in a hydrothermal environment. Viral hosts in the acidic spring were members of the hyperthermophilic archaeal genus Acidianus.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie und Archaeenzentrum, Universität Regensburg, Germany, , , , , , DE
   R. Rachel, M. Bettstetter, B. P. Hedlund, M. Häring, A. Kessler, K. O. Stetter & D. Prangishvili

Authors

1. R. Rachel
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2. M. Bettstetter
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3. B. P. Hedlund
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4. M. Häring
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5. A. Kessler
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6. K. O. Stetter
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7. D. Prangishvili
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Received April 18, 2002 accepted July 25, 2002

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Rachel, R., Bettstetter, M., Hedlund, B. et al. Remarkable morphological diversity of viruses and virus-like particles in hot terrestrial environments .Arch Virol 147, 2419–2429 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-002-0895-2

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• Issue Date: November 2002
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-002-0895-2

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