''Potyvirus'' is a genus of
positive-strand RNA virus
Positive-strand RNA viruses (+ssRNA viruses) are a group of related viruses that have Sense (molecular biology), positive-sense, single-stranded genomes made of ribonucleic acid. The positive-sense genome can act as messenger RNA (mRNA) and can ...
es (named after its type species,
Potato virus Y (''Potyvirus yituberosi,'' PVY)'')'' in the family ''
Potyviridae
''Potyviridae'' is a family of positive-strand RNA viruses that encompasses more than 30% of known plant viruses, many of which are of great agricultural significance. The family contains 13 genera that contain 259 species.
Structure
Potyviri ...
''. Plants serve as natural hosts. Like
begomovirus
''Begomovirus'' is a genus of viruses, in the family ''Geminiviridae''. They are plant viruses that as a group have a very wide host range, infecting dicotyledonous plants. Worldwide they are responsible for a considerable amount of economic dam ...
es, members of this genus may cause significant losses in agricultural, pastoral,
horticultural
Horticulture (from ) is the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Horticulture is commonly associated with the more professional and technical aspects of plant cultivation on a smaller and mo ...
, and
ornamental Ornamental may refer to:
*Ornamental grass, a type of grass grown as a decoration
*Ornamental iron, mild steel that has been formed into decorative shapes, similar to wrought iron work
*Ornamental plant, a plant that is grown for its ornamental qua ...
crops. More than 200 species of
aphid
Aphids are small sap-sucking insects in the Taxonomic rank, family Aphididae. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white Eriosomatinae, woolly ...
s spread potyviruses, and most are from the subfamily ''
Aphidinae
Aphidinae is an aphid subfamily in the family Aphididae.
Many species of aphids spread potyviruses and most are from the subfamily Aphidinae (genera ''Macrosiphum'' and ''Myzus''). Most have alternative hosts, the primary host plant is usually ...
'' (genera ''
Macrosiphum
''Macrosiphum'' is a genus of aphid. During the summer populations are made of parthenogenetic females. In the fall, males and females are produced; they mate and females lay eggs that overwinter. There are over 160 spp. in 3 subgenera.
Speci ...
'' and ''
Myzus
''Myzus'' is a genus of true bugs belonging to the family Aphididae.
The genus has cosmopolitan distribution. Its original distribution is the Old World.
Species:
*'' Myzus ajugae''
*'' Myzus amygdalinus''
*'' Myzus antirrhinii''
*'' Myzus ...
''). The genus contains 190 species and potyviruses account for about thirty percent of all currently known
plant virus
Plant viruses are viruses that have the potential to affect plants. Like all other viruses, plant viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that do not have the molecular machinery to replicate without a host. Plant viruses can be pathoge ...
es.
Structure
The virion is
non-enveloped with a