Plant Virology

Definition of a Virus

Highly infectuous, submicroscopic

and obligate intercellular parasite
consisting of one or more molecules
of nucleic acid surrounded by a
protein coat and capable of
replication only within the living cells.
 Properties
 Do not have cells or cellular organells like mitochondria,
nucleus, ribosomes etc.
 Exists as particle
 Not visible under light microscope but can be viewed by
electron microscope
 Composed of one type of nucleic acid either RNA or DNA
and protein
 The necleic acid is the infectuou part and protein the
protective part

3
Properties
 Unable to grow by bunary fission but can multiplicate by means
of replication using host ribosome
 Neither living nor dead, rather they form bridge between them

 Not self motile, therefore depend on vectos for transmission

 Can not penetrate host cell by themselves but can enter into
host cells through wound or vectors
4
5
Is virus living or non living?
(I) Living characters of viruses:
• (a) They multiply within host cells.
• (b) They possess genetic material, either DNA or RNA.
• (c) There are definite races or strains.
• (d) They exhibit mutations.
• (e) they can be transmitted from diseased host to healthy
one

6
(II) Non-living Characters of Viruses:
Following characters of viruses assign them as non-living:
(a) They can be crystallized.
(b) Outside the cell, they behave like inert chemicals.
(c) They do not show growth, development, nutrition,
reproduction, etc.
(d) No physiological activity
(e) Do not reepire or excrete
(f) They can be precipitated.

Because of the above reasons, viruses form unique bridge

between living and non-living things. 7
8
9
10
• Single-stranded RNA (ssRNA): about 540 plant viruses e.g. TMV
• Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA): ab. 40 pv e.g. Wound tumour virus
• Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA): ab. 50 e.g. Beet curly top virus
• Double-stranded DNA (dsDNA): ab. 30 e.g. Cauliflower mosaic
virus

11
Architecture of Plant Virus
• 1. Isometric: apparently spherical and (depending on the species)
from about 18nm in diameter upwards. The example here
shows Tobacco necrosis virus, genus Necrovirus with particles 26
nm in diameter.
Geminate: twinned isometric particles e.g.
viruses in the family Geminiviridae

12
2. Rod-shaped:
• 2.1. Rigid rod: eg. TMV
• 2.2. Flexuous rod (filamentous): e.g. Potato virus Y

13
14
15
16
17
 Transmission
• There are two types of plant virus transmission :
Horizontal Transmission
• Horizontal transmission is by vectors, human pruning shears and
tools, and other direct, external contamination.
Vertical transmission
• Vertical transmission occurs when a plant gets it from its parent
plant. Either through asexual propagation (cuttings) or in sexual
reproduction via infected seeds.

18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
• persistent transmission: (syn. circulative transmission) a type of
virus transmission in which the virus is acquired and transmitted by
the vector after relatively long feeding times and remains
transmissible for a prolonged period.

26
27
Nematode transmission

• Two single-stranded RNA virus genera,

Nepovirus (NEPO) and Tobravirus (TOBRA),
have nematode vectors
• Nepoviruses: Comoviridae family
• Tobraviruses: family not yet assigned
28
Seed Transmission:
• Seed transmission occurs in two ways
• Externally seed borne
• due to external contamination of the seed with
virus particles (TMV, PVX)
• Internally seed borne (BCMV, CMV, BYMV, ULCV)
• due to infection of the living tissues of the
embryo.

29
• Prion = a small infectious particle consisting of protein and
lack nucleic acid.

• Viroid = an infectious RNA particle, smaller than a virus,

lacking a capsid, that causes various plant diseases

• Virusoid (satellite nucleic acids) = same as viroid; small,

ssRNA molecule, usually 500 to 2000 nucleotides in length,
lacking a capsid, lack genes required for the replication 
virusoid require a helper (satellite) virus to replicate,
causes various plant diseases.

30
 Methods of detection
Based on biological properties
1. Symptomatology
2. Transmission tests
mechanical, graft,
and vector transmission
3. Physical properties
thermal inactivation point, dilution
end point, and
4. Microscopy longevity in vitro)
Electron microscopy 31
based on viral coat protein
• Precipitation and agglutination tests
• Immunosorbent electron microscopy
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
– double antibody sandwich (DAS)ELISA
– triple antibody sandwich (TAS) ELISA

32
based on virus nucleic acid
• Nucleic acid hybridization assays
– The dot- or spot-blot hybridization assay
• Polymerase chain reaction
– real-time quantitative PCR assay
– Microarrays for rapid identification of plant viruses
.
33
The steps of a "sandwich" ELISA
 A surface is prepared to which a known quantity of capture antibody is bound.
 Any nonspecific binding sites on the surface are blocked.
 The antigen-containing sample is applied to the plate.
 The plate is washed to remove unbound antigen.
 A specific antibody is added, and binds to antigen (hence the 'sandwich': the Ag is
stuck between two antibodies)
 Enzyme-linked secondary antibodies are applied as detection antibodies that also
bind specifically to the antibody's Fc region (nonspecific).
 The plate is washed to remove the unbound antibody-enzyme conjugates.
 A chemical is added to be converted by the enzyme into a color or fluorescent or
electrochemical signal.
 The absorbency or fluorescence or electrochemical signal (e.g., current) of the
plate wells is measured to determine the presence and quantity of antigen.
34
35
 Symptoms of plant virus diseases
• Symptoms around the site of
virus inoculation are
denoted local symptoms.
• When virus spreads from the
site of inoculation and causes
symptoms in other parts of the
plant, this is referred to
as systemic symptoms.

36
37
• Mottling: abnormal
coloration

•Mosaic
If a mottle is light and creates a mosaic

38
39
• Chlorosis: reduced amount
of chorophyll resulting in
light color.

Vein clearing:
eins become light and more distinct

40
Leaf spots

41
 Leaf morphological change
Leaf rolling and curling: Rolling is folding of
leaves along their mid axes resulting in a
more or less tube-like structure.
When the folding is more irregular or does
not result in a tube-like structure it is usually
referred to as leaf curling.

42
• Leaf distortion: deviations from normal leaf shape

Rugose
Rugose means : "rough leaves".
This term covers both crinkling (leaves
looking edged or wrinkled) and leaf
puckering (blister-like irregularities formed
on the leaf)
43
• Enation
Abnormal outgrowth of
vascular tissue in leaves or on
the stem

Pea enation mosaic virus (PEMV)

44
Blistering

45
Variegation

46
 Shoe string
Crown gall/ tumor Rosette: cluster leaves

47
BANANA BUNCHY TOP

48
49