Photosynthesis and the development of blue-green algal virus SM-1

Abstract

The role of photosynthesis in the infection of a unicellular blue-green alga (Synechococcus) by the virus SM-1 has been investigated. Photoassimilation of CO₂ is not significantly inhibited by SM-1 infection prior to lysis of the cells. Withdrawal of CO₂, or of light, completely suppresses viral growth. DCMU, an inhibitor of photosystem II, and CCCP, an inhibitor of photosynthetic electron transport, also suppress viral growth completely. SM-1 is considerably more dependent upon host photosynthetic metabolism than previously described blue-green algal viruses.