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Observation of virus-like particles in thin sections of the bleaching scleractinian coral Acropora cytherea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2012

Yvan Bettarel ,
Nguyen Thanh Thuy ,
Tran Quang Huy ,
Phan Kim Hoang  and
Thierry Bouvier
Yvan Bettarel*
Affiliation:
IRD, UMR 5119 ECOSYM, Université Montpellier 2, France
Nguyen Thanh Thuy
Affiliation:
National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tran Quang Huy
Affiliation:
National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Hanoi, Vietnam
Phan Kim Hoang
Affiliation:
Vietnamese National Institute of Oceanography (VNIO), Nha Trang, Vietnam
Thierry Bouvier
Affiliation:
IRD, UMR 5119 ECOSYM, Université Montpellier 2, France
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Y. Bettarel, IRD, UMR 5119 ECOSYM, Université Montpellier 2, France email: yvan.bettarel@ird.fr
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Abstract

Virus-like particles were observed in thin sections of partially bleaching colonies of the scleractinian Acropora cytherea, collected in the Hon Mun Marine Protected Area (Vietnam). The most common particles were found in the cytoplasm of epidermal cells, exhibiting icosahedral symmetry and measuring 90–140 nm in diameter. Some had a tail-like structure resembling that of certain Hepadnaviridae such as the hepatitis B virus. Some others were tailless with a virion size. Overall, less than 10% of the cells showed obvious signs of infection. Images of virally-parasitized tissues of A. cytherea provide further evidence that corals are a target for viral infection. However, more research is required into their pathogenicity and involvement in bleaching events.

Keywords

virus-like particleshepatitis B virusthin sectionspartially bleaching scleractinian coloniesAcropora cytherea
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 93 , Issue 4 , June 2013 , pp. 909 - 912
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2012 

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