VIRION
Non enveloped, large (50 nm diameter) icosahedral particles composed of 420 subunits with a T=7 symmetry. It has not been described whether handedness of capsid is laevo or dextro, here the pictures dsplays a laevo form.
GENOME
Circular double stranded DNA of about 8000 base pairs with discontinuities in both strands: one in the transcribed strand and one to three in the non-transcribed strand. Codes for 8 proteins.
GENE EXPRESSION
Enzymes: Aspartic protease, Reverse-transcriptase, RNAse H
REPLICATION
CYTOPLASMIC / NUCLEAR
- Attachment of viral proteins to host receptors mediates entry into the host cell.
- The viral dsDNA is released into the nucleus.
- Transcribed by host RNA polymerase II.
- mRNA translation produces viral proteins.
- Genomic RNA is retrotranscribed into new dsDNA genomes in the cytoplasm.
- Genomes are encapsidated by the capsid protein and form new virions.
- The virion infects either a new cell by plasmodesmata movement, or by insect vector uptake.