Marine virioplankton produced by infected Ectocarpus siliculosus (Phaeophyceae)

The benthic marine brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus can be infected by a virus which is expressed in reproductive organs of the host.In cultures, liberation of virus particles was stimulated by addition of fresh culture medium together with a rise in temperature, suggesting the incoming tide as a triggering factor in the natural habitat.