Marine cyanophages infecting oceanic and coastal strains of Synechococcus: abundance, morphology, cross-infectivity and growth characteristics

Abstract

Eight different phycoerythrin- and phycocyanin-containing strains of Synechococcus spp. and one strain of Anacystis marina were screened against 29 natural virus communities taken from three locations in S Texas coastal waters, at different times of the year. Cyanophages were detected in all samples, but the frequency with which they were detected and their abundance depended upon the strain of Synechococcus. Viruses that infected red Synechococcus spp. strains (DC2, SYN 48) were particularly common and in some instances were in excess of 105 ml-1. -from Authors