Electron micrograph of TMV (scale in nm)

(left) TMV is a rod 300 nm in length, 18 nm in diameter. It has a hollow core that shows up as a dark line because it fills with the negative stain used in this EM picture.

(right) Magnified image of one TMV rod. TMV is composed of identical protein subunits arranged in a helical fashion - like bricks in a smokestack.

Download a higher resolution scan (2 MB size)

Back to Tobacco Mosiac Virus Menu Page