Cymbidium Mosaic Virus - Viral Cycle

Viral Cycle

The Cymbidium mosaic virus starts out by infecting the host through a wound on the plant. Generally this wound occurs through plant propagation using contaminated cutting tools. Once inside the orchid, the virion uncoats, binds its coat protein to the host on the 5’ SL 1 RNA stem loop and begins incorporating its RNA into it. This allows for the host cell to begin producing virus particles. The virus then begins infecting reading frames such as TGB1, TGB 2, and TGB 3, each of which aid in the virus’s ability to spread from cell-to-cell in the orchid. When the virus infects TGB 1, it allows for the virus to move easily through the plasmodesmata. After the virus infects TGB 2 and TGB 3, it allows for the virus to begin moving through each of the orchid cells' endoplasmic reticulum. Affecting these sites allows for the virus to move easily through each of the plant cells. Overall, the monopartite, positive, sRNA from the virion connects its 3’ tail with that of the host’s 5’ RNA. Translations will continue to occur, and disassemble from the 5’ end of the virion. With more of the virions circulating throughout the host, it only takes another wound from a cutting tool to begin infecting another orchid.