Notes on Genus: Nucleorhabdovirus

enveloped bacilliform

Type member: Potato yellow dwarf virus

General Description

This is one of 2 plant virus genera in the family Rhabdoviridae. It was previously known as Plant Rhabdovirus group B. The genus is characterised by its bacilliform, enveloped, particles which contain a monopartite ssRNA genome and which mature in the nucleus of the host plant cell. The name derives from the Latin nux = nut and the Greek rhabdos = rod.

Morphology

Virions regular in shape and size to pleomorphic in shape and size (in unfixed preparations), bacilliform (when fixed prior to negative staining), enveloped, 170-380 nm long and 55-100 nm in diameter. There are distinct surface projections (spikes) dispersed evenly over all the surface. Nucleocapsids filamentous (when uncoiled), with obvious regular cross-banding and with a distinct central canal. Symmetry helical with pitch of 4.2-4.7 nm.

Virions composed of 1 % nucleic acid, 70 % protein and 25 % lipid.

Genome

Monopartite, linear, single-stranded, negative sense RNA, 11000-15000 nucleotides long.

Genus Genomic Organization

The members that have been sequenced have six or seven genes translated from positive sense template RNAs. For Sonchus yellow net virus, these genes (listed here in their order on the template strand - i.e. from 3' to 5' with respect to the virion strand) are:

1	N	53.6 kDa	Coat protein (nucleocapsid)
2	P	38.3 kDa	Phosphoprotein
3	SC4	36.7 kDa	unknown function
4	M	31.8 kDa	Matrix protein
5	G	71.1 kDa	Glycoprotein
6	L	241.5 kDa	Polymerase

Type Member Genomic Organization

There are no sequence data for this virus.