ICTV Report

Family: Anaerodiviridae (interim Report)

This is a summary page created by the ICTV Report Editors using information from associated Taxonomic Proposals and the Master Species List.

Edited by: Mart Krupovic
Posted: April 2023

Summary

The family Anaerodiviridae includes lytic, double-stranded DNA viruses with icosahedral capsids and non-contractile helical tails, and infecting methanogenic archaea of the class Methanobacteria (Table 1.Anaerodiviridae). The family Anaerodiviridae was established in 2022 (MSL 37) and currently includes a single species.

Table 1.Anaerodiviridae. Characteristics of members of the family Anaerodiviridae.

CharacteristicDescription
ExampleMethanobacterium virus Drs3 (MH674343), species Metforvirus Drs3, genus Metforvirus
VirionIcosahedral capsid with a diameter of approximately 60 nm and a non-contractile tail of approximately 230 nm (siphoviral morphology)
GenomeLinear, double-stranded DNA genome of 37 kbp
Host rangeIsolated from Methanobacterium formicicum Khl10, a hydrogenotrophic, methanogenic archaeon of the class Methanobacteria
TaxonomyRealm Duplodnaviria, kingdom Heunggongvirae, phylum Uroviricota, class Caudoviricetes, order Methanobavirales: 1 genus and 1 species

 

Anaerodiviridae genome
Figure 1.Anaerodiviridae. Genome organisation of Methanobacterium virus Drs3, a member of the family Anaerodiviridae. Boxes indicate open reading frames as annotated on GenBank accession MH674343.

 

Anaerodiviridae taxa
Figure 2.Anaerodiviridae. Relationships of the taxa connected to the family Anaerodiviridae.

Derivation of name

Anaerodiviridae: truncation of "anaerobic digester", referring to the source of isolation.