Intranuclear virus-like particles of a Drosophila hybrid

Intranuclear virus-like particles (VLPs) have been observed in different cell lines and adult tissues of Drosophila. In the present study, intranuclear VLPs have been found in larval tissues (salivary glands, midgut, fat body) as well as in adult tissues (midgut, genitals, fat body) of a rare inters...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of submicroscopic cytology and pathology Vol. 34; no. 2; p. 177
Main Authors Kosta, A, Thomopoulos, G N
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Italy 01.04.2002
Subjects
Animals
Cell Nucleus Structures - ultrastructure
Cell Nucleus Structures - virology
Chimera
Drosophila melanogaster
Fat Body - ultrastructure
Fat Body - virology
Female
Inclusion Bodies, Viral - ultrastructure
Intestines - ultrastructure
Intestines - virology
Larva - physiology
Larva - ultrastructure
Larva - virology
Male
Ovary - ultrastructure
Ovary - virology
Salivary Glands - ultrastructure
Salivary Glands - virology
Testis - ultrastructure
Testis - virology
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Summary:Intranuclear virus-like particles (VLPs) have been observed in different cell lines and adult tissues of Drosophila. In the present study, intranuclear VLPs have been found in larval tissues (salivary glands, midgut, fat body) as well as in adult tissues (midgut, genitals, fat body) of a rare interspecific hybrid (D. mauritiana x D. melanogaster) called 'mame'. The intranuclear VLPs were round or slightly elliptical with a diameter of 30 nm, and they were found mainly in highly organised clusters, forming large crystalline arrays, near the nucleolus and the polycene chromosomes. These particles were never observed in the cytoplasm of any mame's tissue. A few VLPs were also seen in the corresponding tissues of D. melanogaster, but they were never observed in any tissue of D. mauritiana. There is the intriguing possibility that these VLPs are related to transposable elements and probably contribute to the speciation process, in an unknown, so far, manner.
ISSN:1122-9497