Stardust Crucader: Is the Marine Protist <i>Carpediemonas Membranifera</i> the First Known Crucivirus Host?

Cruciviruses are a unique class of ssDNA viruses that have not been isolated to date. To investigate the host-virus relationship in further detail, cruciviral activity and the association with Carpediemonas membranifera has been studied under heat stress. Using crucivirus-targeting probes, fluorescent in-situ hybridization was performed to determine crucivirus genome replication under varying temperature regimes. Potential viral induction was detected under temperatures ranging from 20-30°C, suggesting that the pro-cruciviral sequences integrated in this protist genome are functional, revealing Carpediemonas membranifera as a bonafide crucivirus host. The analysis of Carpediemonas membranifera and crucivirus relationship was carried out with different techniques. Wide field microscopy and flow cytometry were used to authenticate our suspicion that Carpediemonas membranifera may be the first known host organism to cruciviruses.