Plant Viruses
Online 
Descriptions and Lists from
the VIDE Database
Chara australis
(?) furovirus
Index
Data collated by A.J. Gibbs and M. Torronen, 1987 and
1991.
Nomenclature
Synonyms
Acronym
ICTV decimal code
Host range and symptoms
First reported
in Chara australis; from the A.C.T., Australia; by Gibbs et al.
(1975).
Natural host range and symptoms
- Chara
australis - plants symptomless but with inclusions.
Transmission
Virus not transmitted by contact between
plants.
Ecology and control
Studies reported by Skotnicki
et al. (1976).
Geographical distribution
Spreads in
Australia (south-eastern rivers, but not found in the United Kingdom (4spp.) nor
in a worldwide collection of charophyte species held in Lubbock, Texas (V.
Proctor and A.J. Gibbs, unpublished data)).
Experimental host range
Few (<3) families susceptible.
Diagnostically susceptible host species and symptoms
- Chara australis - infected by injection become
chlorotic and die.
Diagnostically insusceptible host species
Nicotiana clevelandii, N. glutinosa, Brassica campestris ssp.
pekinensis, Phaseolus vulgaris.
Maintenance and propagation
hosts
Assay hosts (Local lesions or Whole plants)
Susceptible host species
Insusceptible host species
Families containing susceptible hosts
Families containing
insusceptible hosts
Sources of host-range data
Physical and
biochemical properties
Properties of particles in sap
Leaf sap
contains many virions.
Purification method
Blend
Chara plants in 1-0.5 vol. of 50 mM phosphate buffer pH 7.5 containing
100 mM urea and 5 mM disodium EDTA. Filter. Stir in 2% w/v sodium chloride 4%
w/v polyethylene glycol 6000 at 4ºC overnight. Centrifuge at 3000 g for 30
minutes. Collect pellet. Resuspend in original buffer containing 8.0% butanol at
room temperature. Emulsify with 10% chloroform. Centrifuge and collect
supernatant. Purify further by centrifuging in buffered sucrose gradients.
Particle morphology
Virions rod-shaped; usually
straight; with a clear modal length; of 532 nm; 18 nm wide. Axial canal obvious.
Pitch of basic helix 2.75 nm.
Physical properties
One sedimenting component in purified
preparations, or two sedimenting components in purified preparations (in some
preparations); sedimentation coefficient 230 S. Isoelectric point pH
3.4-3.7.
Biochemical properties
Virions contain 5 % nucleic acid;
95 % protein.
Genome consists of RNA; single-stranded; linear. Total genome size 11 kb.
Genome unipartite; largest (or only) genome part 11 kb. Base composition 24.5 %
G; 28 % A; 20 % C; 27.5 % U.
Features of the genome
Non-genomic nucleic acid
not found in the virions.
Features of proteins
Virion protein(s) one;
Mr 18700; coat protein with approximately 170 residues. Amino acid
composition: Skotnicki et al. (1976).
Replication
Replication does not depend on a helper
virus.
Cytopathology
Virions found in all parts of the host
plant; in cytoplasm and in cell vacuoles. Inclusions present in infected cells
(in the cytoplasm, are banana-shaped paracrystals); they contain virions.
Taxonomy and
relationships
Virus(es) with serologically related virions
Tobacco mosaic and odontoglossum ringspot tobamoviruses, but very
distantly.
Additional comments on relationships
The nucleotide sequence of the replicase motif has closest homology
to that of beet necrotic yellow vein furovirus.
Comments and
References
General comments
The host of this virus
was incorrectly identified first as Chara corallina.
References
- Gibbs, A.J., Skotnicki, A.H., Gardiner,
J.E., Walker, E.S. and Hollings M. (1975). Virology 64: 571.
- Skotnicki, A.H., Gibbs, A.J. and Wrigley, N.G. (1976). Virology
75: 457.
Cite this publication as:
Brunt, A.A., Crabtree, K., Dallwitz, M.J., Gibbs, A.J., Watson, L. and Zurcher, E.J. (eds.)
(1996 onwards).
`Plant Viruses Online: Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database.
Version: 20th August 1996.' URL
http://biology.anu.edu.au/Groups/MES/vide/
Dallwitz (1980)
and
Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993)
should also be cited.
Please send comments, corrections and suggestions to:
vide-manager@biology.anu.edu.au