ON THE MORPHOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT OF INSECT CYTOPLASMIC-POLYHEDROSIS VIRUS PARTICLES

Abstract

The cytoplasmic-polyhedrosis virus particle is an icosahedron about 68 mμ in diameter. It consists of a capsid, made up of two concentric rings, and an inner core. The capsid has 12 projections.Large masses consisting mostly of the capsids of virus particles develop in the cytoplasm of gut cells infected with cytoplasmic-polyhedrosis virus. Cores of the virus particles are found on the outer surfaces of these masses or in material adjacent to them. The complete virus particle is assembled just before it is enveloped by protein and incorporated into a developing polyhedron.Granules, tentatively identified as lysosomes, increase in number and size during the early stages of infection. Other granules and bodies observed in the gut cells are described.