Spindle bodies of Heliothis armigera entomopoxvirus develop in structures associated with host cell endoplasmic reticulum.

Immunoelectron microscopy has shown that morphogenesis of spindle bodies (SB) of Heliothis armigera entomopoxvirus involves an iterative process of condensation, aggregation, and crystallization of the major constituent protein (fusolin) within the perinuclear space and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of infected cells and in vesicles derived from ER constituents. The ER-specific chaperone BiP has been observed to be associated with developing SBs at all stages of this process, and it is postulated that its sequestration within these bodies may have consequences for host cell metabolism. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.