CLASSIFICATION OF PLANT

VIRUSES
• The Plant Virus Subcommittee established in 1966,
recommended a classification of virus into 16 groups.

1. Tobravirus Group
• Tobraviruses have rod-shaped particles of 20–22 nm diameter
• Two predominant lengths, long particles(L) 188-197nm and short
particles (S) 43-114nm.
• The L particle RNA can replicate itself and codes for
replicase(necessary for replication of RNA of L & S particles)
• The S particle codes for coat protein but cannot replicate itself.
• The genome is positive-sense ssRNA.
• The capsid is made up of many copies of a single protein species of
22–24 kDa.
• Tobraviruses have wide host ranges including both mono- and
dicotyledonous species.
• Vector:- trichodorid nematodes.
• Example:- Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV)
 2. Tobamovirus Group
Gh

•Tobamovirus are rod -shaped , helical virus

•They have a genome of a single linear positive-sense single-stranded
RNA , encapsidated in ridged cylindrical particles about 18 nm in
diameter and 300 nm long.
•Each protein subunit is made up of single polypeptide chain and inside
protein capsid is a ss-RNA molecule coiled into a helix.
• Example:- Tobacco mosaic virus.
 3. Potexvirus Group
• Helical symmetry, flexous rod with length of 515nm & 11.2 nm wide.
• Pitch of helix is 3.3nm.
• It is a hollow cylinder with outer diameter 11.2nm & inner diameter
of 3nm.
• It is a ss-RNA virus.
• Example:- Potato virus X (PVX)
 4. Carlavirus Group
• These are flexous rods of helical symmetry.
• Undivided Genome of ssRNA.
• 620-690 nm in length & pitch of 3.4 nm.
• Vector:- Aphids
• Genome is positive sense, single-stranded RNA.
• The genome encodes 3 to 6 proteins including a coat protein located
at the 3' end and an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase located at the
5' end of the genome.
• Example:- Carnation latent Virus
 5. Potyvirus Group
• It is naked flexous rod, where coat proteins (CP) are helically
arranged.
• Consists of a single-stranded positive- sense RNA molecule of about
10,000 bases.
• In combination with PVX , it causes rugose mosaic of potato.
• Example:- Potato virus Y
 6. Cucumovirus Group
• It is a linear positive sence , triparatite ss-RNA virus
• The CMV genome consists of three single-stranded, messenger-sense
RNA molecules, designated RNA 1 (~3,350 nucleotides), RNA 2
(~3,050 nucleotides) and RNA 3 (~2,200 nucleotides).
• These three RNAs encode five proteins – proteins 1a, 2a, 2b,
movement protein (MP) and coat protein (CP). While proteins 1a and
2a are responsible for the replication of the virus, protein 2b is the
host-silencing suppressor.
 7. Tymovirus Group
• Have isometric, nonenveloped particles of about 30 nm diameter
• Single molecule of positive-sense single-stranded RNA of 6.0–7.5 kb
in length.
• 180 copies of the single CP, arranged as 12 pentamers and
20 hexamers.
• Example:- Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV)
 8. Comovirus Group
• Non-enveloped, 28-30 nm in diameter, isohaderal capsid.
• The diameter is around 28-30 nm. Genomes are linear and
segmented, bipartite, around 24-7kb in length.
• Consist of 2 kinds of nucleoprotien particles :
1. Top (T) particle; 0% RNA
2. Middle (M) & Bottom (B) particle; 24% & 38% RNA resp.
• Example : - Cowpea mosaic Virus (CPMV)