Morphology of bacilliform particles associated with raspberry vein chlorosis virus

Abstract

Bacilliform particles were found in thin sections of leaves from raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) infected with raspberry vein chlorosis virus. Similar particles were not found in leaf tissue from a healthy raspberry plant or from a plant infected with raspberry mosaic virus. The bacilliform particles were detected in parenchyma cells within the vascular bundle or mesophyll cells near the vascular bundle. The particles were restricted to the cytoplasm and occurred singly or in bundles of from 2 to 14 parallel particles enclosed within a vesicle. particles were rounded at both ends. the mean dimensions of 42 particles were 506 × 83 nm (ranges: 442 to 560 nm and 73 to 91 nm). in cross section, the particles had three concentric layers, with average diameters of 83 nm, 53 nm, and 23 nm. the wall of each layer was about 70 Å thick and the middle layer showed regular surface striations with a periodicity of 50–55 Å.