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ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Plectroviridae
Petar Knezevic1, Evelien M Adriaenssens2, Ictv Report Consortium
1University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia.
The Journal of General Virology
|May 7, 2021
Summary
Plectroviridae viruses are non-enveloped rods infecting bacteria. These viruses replicate DNA via rolling-circle or transposition, releasing progeny without harming the host cell.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Microbiology
- Bacteriology
Background:
- The family Plectroviridae comprises viruses with unique biological characteristics.
- These viruses infect bacteria lacking a cell wall.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the ICTV report on the family Plectroviridae.
- To provide an overview of Plectroviridae morphology, genome, and replication.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of information from the ICTV report.
- Analysis of viral particle structure, genome composition, and replication strategies.
Main Results:
- Plectroviridae particles are non-enveloped, rigid rods (70-280×10-16 nm).
- They possess a supercoiled, circular, single-stranded DNA genome (4.5-8.3 kb) encoding 4-13 proteins.
- Replication involves rolling-circle or transposition mechanisms, with progeny released by extrusion without host cell lysis.
Conclusions:
- Plectroviridae represent a distinct viral family with a specific mode of infection and replication.
- Their non-lytic replication strategy is a key characteristic differentiating them from other bacterial viruses.
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