Family: Inoviridae

Genus: Restivirus

Distinguishing features

Ralstonia phage RSS1 has a genome of 6,633 bp encoding 11 proteins. The phage infects Ralstonia solanacearum and is able to integrate its DNA into the bacterial genome (Kawasaki et al., 2007). Virion filaments are about 1,100 nm in length and 10 nm in width (Yamada et al., 2007). Infection activates expression of phcA, the global virulence regulator, enhancing extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) synthesis and twitching motility (Addy et al., 2012a). 

Virion

See discussion under family description. 

Genome organisation and replication

See discussion under family description. 

Biology

Members of the genus infect Ralstonia solanacearum. 

Species demarcation criteria

There is only one species in the genus. Members of additional species will be >5% different in the DNA sequence of their genomes as assessed using the BLASTn algorithm.