Morphology and nucleic acid of rice gall dwarf virus

In negative stain preparations, the particles of rice gall dwarf virus (RGDV) had the form of angular icosahedra, approximately 65 nm in diameter, and resembled Phytoreovirus particles. The genomic double-stranded RNA of RGDV was fractionated by PAGE into 12 segments similar to those of the RNAs of the phytoreoviruses, wound tumor virus and rice dwarf virus, but of different mobilities. The RNAs were distinct from those of other plant reoviruses. RGDV therefore is confirmed as a new Phytoreovirus.