Description of Polydnaviridae
adapted from
ICTVdb
Virion Properties
Morphology
Virions consist of an
envelope and a nucleocapsid. Virus capsid is enveloped by a
double layer envelope. The inner envelope appears to be assembled
de novo within the nucleus of infected calyx cells, while
the outer is acquired by budding through the plasma membrane into
the oviduct lumen). Virions are surrounded by a loose ellipsoid
to drop-shaped (envelope). The envelope surrounds one
nucleocapsid, or one nucleocapsid to twelve nucleocapsids in
groups. Nucleocapsid is elongated, but a specific structure has
not been revealed. The nucleocapsid is fusiform (prolate
ellipsoid), or cylindrical with a length of 30-150 nm, or 330 nm;
width of 40 nm, or 85 nm.
Nucleic Acid
The genome is segmented; multipartite and segments
are distributed over several particles of varying size, depending
on the length of the genome enclosed, linear, supercoiled,
double-stranded DNA. Virions may also contain homologous DNA
sequences that are shared among two or more DNA genome segments.
The complete genome is 2000-28000(-300000) nucleotides long. Each
virion contains multiple copies of the genome.
Proteins
The viral genome encodes structural
proteins.
Lipids
Lipids are present. The composition of viral lipids is not known.