Scheme of RNA transcription in calicivirus-infected cells.

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a member of the Caliciviridae and contains a positive-stranded, non-segmented. polyadenylated RNA genome. It codes for at least one structural protein [ 1. 21 and one nonstructural protein [3]. The mode of synthesis of the viral RNA is still not clear. Neil and Mengeling identified three subgenomic RNAs in addition to the full length genome [4]. However, Carter reported that the number of virus specific RNAs detectable in infected cells was 8, and showed that RNA species 1 to 5 were represented as negative strands which may serve as templates in the synthesis of these RNAs [5]. Neil and Mengeling also reported the existence of a 3' co-terminal nested set of subgenomic RNAs in common with other virus families [4].