tobacco mosaic virus
Quick Summary
The tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes mosaic disease in plants like tobacco and tomatoes. It is rod-shaped and can be crystallized. TMV is composed of approximately 2,130 protein molecules surrounding a single-stranded RNA genome. This virus is of significant economic importance as it infects many crop and ornamental plants. TMV is primarily spread mechanically through infected sap. Symptoms of TMV infection can include color streaks, dwarfing, and tissue distortion in plants.123
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
- virology
…to be a virus) of tobacco mosaic disease could pass through a porcelain filter impermeable to bacteria. Modern virology began when two bacteriologists, Frederick William Twort in 1915 and Félix d’Hérelle in 1917, independently discovered the existence of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria).
Read More…to be a virus) of tobacco mosaic disease could pass through a porcelain filter impermeable to bacteria. Modern virology began when two bacteriologists, Frederick William Twort in 1915 and Félix d’Hérelle in 1917, independently discovered the existence of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria).
Read More
virus…by an agent, later called tobacco mosaic virus, passing through a minute filter that would not allow the passage of bacteria. This virus and those subsequently isolated would not grow on an artificial medium and were not visible under the light microscope. In independent studies in 1915 by the British…
Read More…by an agent, later called tobacco mosaic virus, passing through a minute filter that would not allow the passage of bacteria. This virus and those subsequently isolated would not grow on an artificial medium and were not visible under the light microscope. In independent studies in 1915 by the British…
Read More
virusThe protein capsid…helical rod-shaped virus is the tobacco mosaic virus, which was crystallized by Wendell Stanley in 1935. The tobacco mosaic virus contains a genome of single-stranded RNA encased by 2,130 molecules of a single protein; there are 161/3 protein molecules for each turn of the RNA helix in the…
Read More…helical rod-shaped virus is the tobacco mosaic virus, which was crystallized by Wendell Stanley in 1935. The tobacco mosaic virus contains a genome of single-stranded RNA encased by 2,130 molecules of a single protein; there are 161/3 protein molecules for each turn of the RNA helix in the…
Read More
- Heinz L. Fraenkel-Conrat
…series of experiments on the tobacco mosaic virus, Fraenkel-Conrat disassembled the virus into its noninfectious protein and nearly noninfectious nucleic acid components, and then, by recombining these components, succeeded in effecting the reconstitution of the fully infective virus. Studies of this reconstitution reaction led to the discovery that viral infectivity…
Read More…series of experiments on the tobacco mosaic virus, Fraenkel-Conrat disassembled the virus into its noninfectious protein and nearly noninfectious nucleic acid components, and then, by recombining these components, succeeded in effecting the reconstitution of the fully infective virus. Studies of this reconstitution reaction led to the discovery that viral infectivity…
Read More
Wendell Meredith StanleyIn 1935 Stanley crystallized tobacco mosaic virus (TMV, the causative agent of a plant disease) and showed that it is a rod-shaped aggregate of protein and nucleic acid molecules. His work enabled other scientists, utilizing methods of X-ray diffraction, to ascertain unambiguously the precise molecular structures and the modes…
Read MoreIn 1935 Stanley crystallized tobacco mosaic virus (TMV, the causative agent of a plant disease) and showed that it is a rod-shaped aggregate of protein and nucleic acid molecules. His work enabled other scientists, utilizing methods of X-ray diffraction, to ascertain unambiguously the precise molecular structures and the modes…
Read More
James WatsonResearch…the protein coat surrounding the tobacco mosaic virus but made no dramatic progress with DNA. Suddenly, in the spring of 1953, Watson saw that the essential DNA components—four organic bases—must be linked in definite pairs. This discovery was the key factor that enabled Watson and Crick to formulate a molecular…
Read More…the protein coat surrounding the tobacco mosaic virus but made no dramatic progress with DNA. Suddenly, in the spring of 1953, Watson saw that the essential DNA components—four organic bases—must be linked in definite pairs. This discovery was the key factor that enabled Watson and Crick to formulate a molecular…
Read More

