[Chinese Chlorella viruses and their molecular biological properties]

An extensive survey for Chlorella viruses revealed that Chlorella viruses are widely distributed over China. Eleven isolates of Chlorella viruses have been isolated, which lysis the Chlorella viruses sp. (strain NC64A). These isolates were named BJ-1, BJ-2, BJ-3, BJ-4, FJ-1, FJ-2, NJ-1, CDT-1, HCJ-1, SCB-1 and SCC-1 respectively. They have several common properties, including polyhedral morphology, and linear dsDNA genomes. However, the restriction patterns of viral DNA, the concentration of m5dC and m6dA in viral DNA, and the composition of viral structure protein are different among these isolates. All of viral major capsid proteins are 54,000 except FJ-1, whose major capsid protein is smaller than 54,000. Western blot analysis showed strong immunological cross reaction among all of viral proteins with PBCV-1's antiserum except FJ-1. It indicates that the homology between these isolates and PBCV-1 is high. Among these isolates, FJ-1 has some special properties.