Varicosavirus

Taxobox | color=violet
name = "Varicosavirus"
virus_group = iii
familia = "None Currently Assigned"
genus = "Varicosavirus"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = Varicosaviruses
"Lettuce big-vein associated virus"
"Tobacco stunt virus"
"Camellia yellow mottle virus"
"Freesia leaf necrosis virus"

The viral genus Varicosavirus is a plant virus associated with the swelling it causes in plant vein tissues. It is a double stranded RNA virus with no specific assigned family. Infection occurs through soil by the spores of the fungus Olpidium brassicae.

Genome

The genome consists of a bi-segmented linear, double-stranded RNA. The segments are distributed among two particle types of the RNA. The first segment is about 6350-7000 nucleotides in length; the second, about 5630-6500 nucleotides in length [Sasaya et al. "The Nucleotide Sequence of RNA1 of Lettuce big-vein virus, Genus Varicosavirus, Reveals Its Relation to Nonsegmented Negative-Strand RNA Viruses." Virology 297.2 (2002): 289-297.] .

Structure

Virions consist of a non-enveloped rod-shaped capsid, having a helical symmetry of 120-360 nm in length, and a width of 18-30 nm.

Literature