MASSEY, S. E.*; CURTIS, N. E.; PIERCE, S. K.; Univ. of South Florida, Tampa; Univ. of South Florida, Tampa; Univ. of South Florida, Tampa: Identification of a retrovirus that may have a role in the life cycle and chloroplast symbiosis of kleptoplastic sea slugs.

The annual life cycle of the kleptoplastic sea slug, Elysia chlorotica, ends in synchronous mortality during the early summer in salt marshes along the New England coast. Coincident with the deaths, we have discovered the expression of a novel, endogenous virus in every slug. The virus contains RNA, has the fine structural morphology of a retrovirus, sediments at a buoyant density characteristic of retroviruses and displays reverse transcriptase (RT) activity. We have cloned viral sequences from RNA obtained from purified virus, some of which match the sequence of the retroviral pol gene. These characteristics all confirm that the virus is a novel marine retrovirus. We are examining further the molecular aspects of the retrovirus in order to investigate its impact on the endosymbiotic lifestyle of the host sea slug. Supported by NSF IBN 0314227.