Iridoviridae

The term Iridoviridae is a family of viruses with dsDNA genomes. It belongs to the group of Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses.

Taxonomy

To the family includes five genera: Chloriridovirus, iridovirus, Lymphocystivirus, Megalocytivirus, Ranavirus.

Virology

The genome of the virus is about 150-280 kilobases in size. The viruses have a ikosohedrale symmetry. The virion consists of three domains, an outer capsid, an intermediate lipid bilayer, and a central core of DNA-protein complexes. Occasionally can be identified by the virus has an outer viral envelope. This depends on whether the viruses can get by budding or by lysis of the host cell out of it.

Gene expression

As with herpes virus transcription occurs in three steps: " immediate-early ", "delayed -early " and " late". At any time during the process, there are regulatory mechanisms by induction and product inhibition.

Replication

The virus assembly occurs in the cytoplasm, replication takes place in a part of the nucleus of the host cell. The viruses penetrate the cell and lose their shell., The viral DNA then enters the nucleus and is transcribed by the pol II. The synthesis of host cell proteins come to a standstill. The viral DNA serves as a template for DNA replication in the cytoplasm. This large concatamers of viral DNA are formed. They are packed of viral proteins and released by budding or lysis from within the host cell.

Pathogenesis

Pathogenesis of iridoviruses little is known. But you seem to be temperature dependent and therefore to be the virus depends on poikilothermic hosts.

Host range

Members of the family of iridoviruses primarily infect invertebrate hosts, but also infect fish, amphibians and reptiles.