Turkeypox virus
| Turkeypox virus | |
|---|---|
| Virus classification | |
| Group: | Group I (dsDNA) |
| Order: | Unassigned |
| Family: | Poxviridae |
| Subfamily: | Chordopoxvirinae |
| Genus: | Avipoxvirus |
| Species: | Turkeypox virus |
Turkeypox virus is a virus of the family Poxviridae and the genus Avipoxvirus that causes turkeypox. It is one of the most common diseases in the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) population. Turkeypox, like all avipoxviruses, is transmitted either through skin contact or by arthropods (typically mosquitos) acting as mechanical vectors.
Turkeypox virus was first reported in a turkey flock in New York by E.L. Burnett, and may be identified by nodular proliferative skin lesions on the non-feathered parts of the body and in the fibrino-necrotic and proliferative lesions in the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract.
Turkeypox virus is a member of the Poxviridae family and is in the Avipoxvirus genus. There are currently 9 other species within this genus: Fowlpox virus, Juncopox virus, Mynahpox virus, Psittacinepox virus, Sparrowpox virus, Starlingpox virus, Pigeonpox virus, Canarypox virus and Quailpox virus.
Avipoxvirus infections have been reported in over 232 bird species in 23 orders of birds, but most of our knowledge comes from the study of fowlpox virus and canarypox virus as they are the only species with full genome sequences available.
Turkeypox virus, like other Avipoxviruses, is an enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus with a large, linear genome of approximately 300kb in size. The central region of the genome contains 90-100+ homologous genes that are involved in viral replication, and these genes are generally relatively conserved among Poxviruses. This is in contrast to the more variable, terminally located genes that have been shown to encode a diverse array of proteins involved in host range restriction.
Avipoxviruses follow the same replication cycle that all poxviruses use. Poxvirus is unique from other DNA viruses in respect to its locale of replication in the cell. Poxvirus replicates in the cytoplasm instead of the nucleus. This phenomenon is made possible by the fact that poxvirus encodes its own transcriptional machinery, so poxvirus uses only the host translational machinery to produce its mature virions.
Poxvirus starts its replication cycle by attaching to host cell receptors. These receptors are thought to be glycosaminoglycan. Once attached the virus uncoats by first losing its outer membrane and then fusing with the cellular membrane so that its core particle containing the genome can be released into the cytoplasm.
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