Togaviridae
Baltimore Classification
Higher order taxa
Viruses; ssRNA positive-strand viruses, no DNA stage; Togaviridae
Genera
Alphavirus, Rubivirus
Description and Significance
Genome Structure
The togavirus genome is non-segmented and contains a molecule of linear, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA. The complete genome is 9700-11800 nucleotides long. The 5'-terminus has a methylated nucleotide cap. (source: ICTVdB)
Virion Structure of a Togavirus
Togavirus virions consist of an envelope and a nucleocapsid. The virions are spheical to pleomorphic in shape, and about 70nm in diameter. Glycoprotein spikes evenly cover the surface of the virion. The genome is contained in the T=4 icosahedral capsid, which measures 40 nm in diameter. (sources: Garoff, ICTVdB)
Reproduction Cycle of a Togavirus in a Host Cell
Viral Ecology & Pathology
References
Garoff, Henrik, Mathilda Sjöberg and R. Holland Cheng. "Budding of Alphaviruses." Virus Research 106.2 (2004): 103-116.
ICTVdB - The Universal Virus Database, version 4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ICTVdb/ICTVdB/