Iridoviruses refer to a type of double-stranded DNA viruses with an icosahedral structure that belong to the iridoviridae family. The members of this family can infect invertebrates, protozoa, vertebrates and algae. The host range of iridoviruses differs, such as some have a broad range of hosts, while others are limited to a small number of hosts. Non-lethal and concealed infections are common in various hosts. Horizontal transmission of iridoviruses generally occurs through predation or cannibalism of infected invertebrate hosts. They produce iridescence in the infected tissues and reproduce in the cytoplasm. Iridoviruses infect a variety of animals including reptiles, molluscs, fish, insects, amphibians and crustaceans. These viruses have a distinctive trait which is terminally redundant and circularly permuted organization of the genome. This book aims to shed light on iridoviruses. The readers would gain knowledge that would broaden their perspective about the molecular virology and biology of these viruses. The extensive content of this book provides the readers with a thorough understanding of the subject.

The Molecular Biology of Viruses is a collection of manuscripts presented at the Third Annual International Symposium of the Molecular Biology of Viruses, held in the University of Alberta, Canada on June 27-30, 1966, sponsored by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Alberta. This book is organized into eight parts encompassing 36 chapters that emphasize the biosynthetic steps involved in polymer duplication. The first two parts explore the specialized processes of the cycle of virulent and temperate bacteriophage multiplication. These parts also deal with the production, regulation of development, and selectivity of these bacteriophages. The subsequent two parts look into the heterozygosity, mutation, structure, function, and mode of infection of single-stranded DNA and RNA bacteriophages. The discussions then shift to the biological and physicochemical aspects, biosynthesis, translation, genetics, and replication of mammalian DNA and RNA viruses. The concluding parts describe the homology, interaction, functions, mechanism of transformation, metabolism, and carcinogenic activity of oncogenic viruses. This book is of great benefit to biochemists, biophysicists, geneticists, microbiologists, and virologists.

Ranaviruses and other viruses within the family Iridoviridae, infect a wide range of ecologically and commercially important ectothermic vertebrates, i.e., bony fish, amphibians, and reptiles, and invertebrates, including agricultural and medical pests and cultured shrimp and crayfish, and are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality. Understanding the impact of these various agents on diverse host species requires the combined efforts of ecologists, veterinarians, pathologists, comparative immunologists and molecular virologists. Unfortunately, investigators involved in these studies often work in discipline-specific silos that preclude interaction with others whose insights and approaches are required to comprehensively address problems related to ranavirus/iridovirus disease. Our intent here is to breakdown these silos and provide a forum where diverse researchers with a common interest in ranavirus/iridovirus biology can profitably interact. As a colleague once quipped, “Three people make a genius.” We are hoping to do something along those lines by presenting a collection of research articles dealing with issues of anti-viral immunity, identification of a potentially novel viral genus exemplified by erythrocytic necrosis virus, viral inhibition of innate immunity, identification of novel hosts for lymphocystivirus and invertebrate iridoviruses, and modelling studies of ranavirus transmission. Collectively these and others will exemplify the breadth of ongoing studies focused on this virus family.

This is the first book on ranaviruses. Ranaviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that cause hemorrhagic disease in amphibians, reptiles, and fish. They have caused mass die-offs of ectothermic vertebrates in wild and captive populations around the globe. There is evidence that this pathogen is emerging and responsible for population declines in certain locations. Considering that amphibians and freshwater turtles are suitable hosts and the most imperiled vertebrate taxa in the world, ranaviruses can have significant impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function. Additionally, many fish that are raised in aquaculture facilities and traded internationally are suitable hosts; thus, the potential economic impact of ranaviruses is significant. Ranaviruses also serve as a model for replication and gene function of large double-stranded DNA viruses. There is an urgent need to assemble the contemporary information on ranaviruses and provide guidance on how to assess their threats in populations. Through the Global Ranavirus Consortium, 24 experts from six countries were organize to write this volume, the first book on ranaviruses. The book begins with a discussion on the global extent of ranaviruses, case histories of infection and disease in ectothermic vertebrates, and current phylogeny. Basic principles of ranavirus ecology and evolution are covered next, with a focus on host-pathogen interactions and how the virus emerges in its environment. There are two chapters that will discuss the molecular biology of ranaviruses, host response to infection, and the genes responsible for immune system evasion. One chapter establishes standards for testing for infection and diagnosing ranaviral disease. The book ends by providing guidance on how to design ranavirus surveillance studies and analyze data to determine risk, and discussing the role of the Global Ranavirus Consortium in organizing research and outreach activities.

The successful reproduction of cultured brood stock is essential to the sustainable aquaculture of aquatic organisms. This book describes recent advances in the field of finfish reproductive biotechnology. The chapters in this volume are written by eminent scientists who review the progress and assess the status of biotechnology research that is applicable to the reproduction of finfish species for aquaculture. A wide range of topics is included starting with broodstock technologies such as broodstock genetics, broodstock nutrition, environmental control of maturation and impacts of stress on broodstock, gametes and progeny. The volume includes technologies for induction of ovulation and spermiation using synthetic hypothalamic peptides. Gamete technologies which are described include cryopreservation, chromosome set manipulation, disease prevention and control for gametes and embryos and the development of transgenic fish with enhanced production characteristics. Genetic and endocrine technologies for the production of monosex male and female fish stocks are also described.The closing chapter summarizes the discussion of each topic at the workshop, provides recommendations to industry and describes priorities of research and development. Researchers as well as teaching faculty in the aquaculture field will find this volume of great value.

Virology is in a sense both one of the most important precursors and one of the most significant beneficiaries of structural and cellular molecular biology. Numerous breakthroughs in our understanding of the molecular interactions of viruses with host cells are ready for translation into medically important applications such as the prevention and treatment of viral infections. This book collects a wide variety of examples of frontline research into molecular aspects of viral infections from virological, immunological, cell- and molecular-biological, structural, and theoretical perspectives. - Contributors are world leaders in their fields of study and represent prestigious academic and research institutions - Review articles vary vastly in scope: some focus on a narrowly defined scientific problem of one particular virus with careful introduction for the non-specialist; others are essays in general and comparative virology with forays into specific viral species or molecules - The different perspectives complement each other and collectively the contributions provide an impression of the fast-moving frontlines of virology while showing how the problems have evolved - Structural data are presented through high-quality illustrations

In 1976 the International Committee on Taxonomy of Vi ruses (ICTV) created the family Iridoviridae to encompass several different vertebrate and invertebrate viruses that did not fit into any of the other established groups. The unifying features of this new family were (1) polyhedral symmetry; (2) large (approximately 170 kilobase pairs), lin ear, double-stranded DNA genomes; and (37) a cytoplas mic site of replication. The name "iridovirus" was derived from the observa tion that larvae infected with many of the insect viruses, as well as purified pellets of these viruses, glowed with a blue or green iridescence - presumably due to the Bragg effect of the viral crystals. However, none of the vertebrate "iridoviruses" displayed this particular characteristic. An attempt was made to substitute the more descriptive name of "icosahedral cytoplasmic deoxyribovirus", but not only was this term too unwieldy, it also did not conform to the latinized nomenclature the ICTV wished to adopt. So, for both historical and esthetic reasons, "Iridoviridae" was adopted as a family name, with Iridovirus as the genus represented by the type 1 iridescent insect virus, Tipula iri descent virus. At the 1982 ICTV Meeting, enough biochem ical data had accumulated to permit the establishment of the following five genera in the family Iridoviridae: English vernacular International Type species name name 1. Small iridescent Iridovirus Tipula iridescent virus insect virus (Type 1) 2. Large iridescent Chloriridovirus Mosquito iridescent insect virus virus (Type 2) 3.