Notes on Genus: Soymovirus

icosahedra

Type member: Soybean chlorotic mottle virus

Contents

Members of this Genus General Description Morphology Electron Micrograph Genome Genus Genomic Organization Genome Map Type Member Genomic Organization All Known Sequences Curated Sequences

General Description

This is one of 7 genera in the family Caulimoviridae, which are distinctive amongst plant viruses in having double-stranded DNA. Members of this genus are those with isometric, rather than bacilliform particles and with 8 open reading frames in the genome. They were previously classified in the Caulimovirus genus, but this now only includes those viruses with 6 or 7 open reading frames. The name is derived from the type member, Soybean chlorotic mottle virus.

Morphology

Virions isometric, not enveloped, 45-50 nm in diameter with no obvious surface structure. The virion shell is multi-layered.

Virions composed of 16 % nucleic acid.

Genome

Monopartite, open circular, double stranded DNA of c.8200 base pairs.

Genus Genomic Organization

Eight potential open reading frames have been identified. The movement protein (1a), coat protein (4), reverse transcriptase (5) and post-trancriptional activator (6) are homologous to those of the genus Caulimovirus, but the other ORFs are thought to function differently.

Type Member Genomic Organization

The proposed ORFs are:

1a	35.6 kDa	Movement protein
1b	13.8 kDa
2	23.3 kDa
3	22.5 kDa
4	52.1 kDa	Coat protein
5	80.4 kDa	Reverse transcriptase
6	53.1 kDa	Possible post transcriptional activator
7	17.1 kDa
8	9.6 kDa	possible ORF

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