VIRION
Non enveloped, large (50 nm diameter) icosahedral particles with a T=7 symmetry composed of 420 subunits. It has not been described whether handedness of capsid is laevo or dextro, here the pictures dsplays a laevo form.
GENOME
Monopartite, open circular, double stranded DNA of 7.7 kb. with each strand of viral DNA being interrupted by a site-specific discontinuity. ORF1 codes for the capsid protein, ORF2 for a movement protein, ORF3 for a replicase polyprotein and ORF4 product is a transactivator.
GENE EXPRESSION
REPLICATION
CYTOPLASMIC NUCLEAR
- Attachment of the viral proteins to host receptors mediates its entry into the host cell.
- The viral dsDNA is released into the nucleus where it is transcribed by host RNA polymerase II
- RNA translation produces viral proteins.
- Genomic RNA is retrotranscribed in the cytoplasm into new dsDNA genomes
- Genomes are encapsidated with capsid protein, releasing new virions.