USE OF SERIAL SECTIONS TO DELINEATE THE STRUCTURE OF PORTHETRIA DISPAR VIRUS IN THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPE

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Abstract
Purified, air-dried polyhedra of P. dispar (gypsy moth) virus were fixed in osmium tetroxide and after dehydration in alcohol and embedding in methacrylate were thin sectioned. Examination of consecutive serial sections showed bundles of 2-7 viral rods oriented at random within the polyhedron. Each bundle was surrounded by a dense, sharply defined membrane. The rods measured 18-22 m[mu] in diameter and averaged 280 [mu] in length. Distortion produced by impact of the microtome knife is illustrated and discussed.