Author
 |
Owens, Robert |
|
Submitted to: Encyclopedia of Virology
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/1998 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The first edition of the Encyclopedia of Virology (R.G. Webster and A. Granoff, eds.) was published in 1994. Since that time, this three-volume work and its CD-ROM version have become the standard reference work in virology for both the professional and interested lay readers. This manuscript updates my original article on "Viroids" and provides a concise, up-to-date summary of the biological and molecular properties of these smallest known agents of infectious disease. Viroids are small, highly structured, single-stranded RNA molecules containing only 246-375 nucleotides and lacking the protein capsid characteristic of conventional plant viruses. A wide variety of crop species are susceptible to viroid infection, and several of the resulting diseases are of considerable economic importance. As mentioned above, this article will be of interest to a wide variety of readers including agricultural regulatory officials and policy makers. Technical Abstract: No abstract for book chapter. |
