Name: Olga Stepanova

Email: solar-ua@ya.ru

Author: Olga A. Stepanova1*, Arkadiy F. Frolov2, Victoriya I. Zadorozhna2

Author affiliation: 1. Institute of Biology of Southern seas of Natl. Academy of Sci., Sevastopol, UKRAINE 2. The L.V. Gromashevsky Inst. of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases of AMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, UKRAINE.

Abstract title: Isolation of Tetraselmis viridis, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Dunaliella viridis Viruses from Black Sea Environment

Absstract:

Viruses have a great meaning in global ecosystem, especially in ecosystem of marine environment. Thus, for the first time (during last 6 years) we isolated and studied algae viruses from Black sea environment. For isolating algae viruses of Tetraselmis viridis (TvV), Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PtV) and Dunliella viridis (DvV) we used the patented method (patent 65864A UA, N2003065499). We studied different samples - marine water (126 samples), mollusks Mytilus galloprovincialis (23 samples) and gills of fishes (115 samples) for isolation TvV and PtV (during 2002-2008). DvV were isolated only in autumn 2008, when we studied 12 samples of marine water and 3 samples of mollusks Mytilus galloprovincialis. We studied the size and morphological form of algae viruses by EM. Among isolated algae viruses there were 31 TvV strains and 46 PtV strains. From studied samples of marine water we isolated 17 TvV strains (14% all studied samples) and 41 PtV strains (37%). 8 TvV strains (7%) were isolated from fish material, 6 TvV strains (26%) and 5 PtV strains (22%) - from mollusks Mytilus galloprovincialis. In autumn 2008 we isolated 4 DvV strains - 1 strain from marine water and 3 strains from mollusks. We studied some properties of Black sea algae viruses. Algae viruses have not sensibility to chloroform. The infectious titers of TvV and DvV are 10 in 10 (degree), but PtV - 10 in 6-7 (degree) infectious units in 1 ml of viral suspension. Algae viruses have the icosahedral form and size till 56-58 nm for TvV, 50-53 nm for DvV and 48-52 nm for PtV. A latent period for TvV and DvV strains is about 20-24 h, for PtV strains - 48-72 h. For the first time we isolated from Black sea environment the algae viruses of Tetraselmis viridis, Phaeodatylum tricornutum and Dunliella viridis. We studied some aspects of their properties and their ecology.