Bymoviruses (Potyviridae)

Bymoviruses are flexuous, filamentous viruses with a bipartite positive-sense RNA genome in the family Potyviridae. The type species of the genus is Barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV). The genus currently comprises six member species, BaYMV, Barley mild mosaic virus, Oat mosaic virus, Rice necrosis mosaic virus, Wheat spindle streak mosaic virus, and Wheat yellow mosaic virus, all of which are transmitted by the soil-borne plasmodiophorid Polymyxa graminis. In this article, we describe the Bymovirus genus with respect to disease phenotype, epidemiology, diagnosis and antiviral control and report on current knowledge on nucleic acid properties and functions of the encoded proteins.