Mycovirus

Virions of "Sclerotinia sclerotiorum negative-stranded RNA virus 1" (SsNSRV-1), a mycovirus of family "Mymonaviridae".

Mycoviruses (Ancient Greek: μύκης mykes ("fungus") + Latin virus), also known as mycophages, are viruses that infect fungi. The majority of mycoviruses have double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) genomes and isometric particles, but approximately 30% have positive-sense, single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) genomes.[1][2]

True mycoviruses demonstrate an ability to be transmitted to infect other healthy fungi. Many double-stranded RNA elements that have been described in fungi do not fit this description, and in these cases they are referred to as virus-like particles or VLPs. Preliminary results indicate that most mycoviruses co-diverge with their hosts, i.e. their phylogeny is largely congruent with that of their primary hosts.[3] However, many virus families containing mycoviruses have only sparsely been sampled. Mycovirology[4] is the study of mycoviruses. It is a special subdivision of virology and seeks to understand and describe the taxonomy, host range, origin and evolution, transmission and movement of mycoviruses and their impact on host phenotype.

  1. ^ Pearson MN, Beever RE, Boine B, Arthur K (January 2009). "Mycoviruses of filamentous fungi and their relevance to plant pathology". Molecular Plant Pathology. 10 (1): 115–28. doi:10.1111/j.1364-3703.2008.00503.x. PMC 6640375. PMID 19161358.
  2. ^ Bozarth RF (October 1972). "Mycoviruses: a new dimension in microbiology". Environmental Health Perspectives. 2 (1): 23–39. doi:10.1289/ehp.720223. PMC 1474899. PMID 4628853.
  3. ^ Göker M, Scheuner C, Klenk HP, Stielow JB, Menzel W (2011). "Codivergence of mycoviruses with their hosts". PLOS ONE. 6 (7): e22252. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...622252G. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0022252. PMC 3146478. PMID 21829452.
  4. ^ Ghabrial SA, Suzuki N (2009). "Viruses of plant pathogenic fungi". Annual Review of Phytopathology. 47: 353–84. doi:10.1146/annurev-phyto-080508-081932. PMID 19400634.