ORF V may code for the replication enzyme. The viruses serve as efficient immunogens. There are serological relationships among some members. The natural host range of most members is narrow. Disease symptoms are usually mosaics and mottles.
Infection is systemic with most cell types being infected.
The geographic distribution varies between members, some of which have a very restricted distribution while others are distributed worldwide. Most occur in temperate regions. Virus particles are found mainly in the electron-dense inclusions and, in some members, in the nucleus. The two genera differ from one another in virion morphology, details of genome organization, host range and vector. The complete nucleotide sequence of an infectious clone of cauliflower mosaic virus by M13mp7 shotgun sequencing.