Ulrich Melcher
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| Taxonomy: | Turnip vein-clearing virus (TVCV) is a member of subgroup 3 of the Tobamovirus genus and is thus a member of the alphavirus-like supergroup of positive sense RNA-containing viruses. |
| Physical Properties: | Virions, typical of tobamoviruses, are rod-shaped and consist of a single species of four-helix bundle capsid proteins of 17 kDa helically arranged around a 6.3 knt RNA which accounts for 5% of the virion mass. Virions are stable for years. |
| Hosts: | Members of the crucifer family are excellent hosts. Particularly noteworthy is that hosts include the model plant for molecular genetics, Arabidopsis thaliana.No non-mechanical vectors of transmission are known. |
