page_title: Podoviridae
section_title: Structure
hierarchical_section_title: Podoviridae / Structure
caption_attribution_description: English: Electron micrograph of podovirus ΦCP7R.
context_page_description: Podoviridae is a family of viruses in the order Caudovirales. Bacteria serve as natural hosts. There are currently 132 species in this family, divided among 3 subfamilies and 45 genera. This family is characterized by having very short, noncontractile tails.
context_section_description: Viruses in Podoviridae are non-enveloped, with icosahedral and head-tail geometries. The diameter is around 60 nm, and consists of 72 capsomers. The head protein has a molecular mass of ~38 kiloDaltons and is present in 460 copies per virion. There are 9 structural proteins. The tail is non-contractile and has 6 short subterminal fibers. It is thick and rod-shaped and built of stacked disks. The maximum length is ~17 nm.
  The double stranded DNA genome is linear, around 40-42kb in length, and encodes ~55 genes. The guanine + cytosine content is ~50%. It has terminally redundant sequences and is nonpermuted. By weight, the genome constitutes ~50% of the viron. The genome encodes 9 structural proteins, an adenylated transferase B type DNA polymerase and an RNA polymerase. Three internal proteins constitute the polymerase complex. Two classes of genes are recognized (early and late). This classification is based on the timing of transcription that is temporally regulated. Genes with related functions are clustered together. Genome replication is bidirectional.
caption: Electron micrograph of podovirus ΦCP7R of Clostridium perfringens.
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