ICTV Report

Family: Halspiviridae (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 Halspiviridae includes dsDNA viruses infecting the halophilic archaeon Haloarcula hispanica of the phylum Euryarchaeota (Table 1.Halspiviridae). The family, which was established in 2020, is not assigned to a higher taxon (Master Species List 35).

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

CharacteristicDescription
ExampleHis1 (AF191796), species Salterprovirus His1, genus Salterprovirus
VirionSpindle (lemon)-shaped virions, about 75 nm (long-axis) and 35 nm (short axis)
GenomeLinear, double stranded DNA of 14.5 kbp
ReplicationGenome is replicated through protein-primed mechanism by virus-encoded family B DNA polymerase
TranslationProkaryotic translation using viral mRNA and host ribosomes
Host rangehalophilic archaeon Haloarcula hispanica of the phylum Euryarchaeota
Taxonomy1 genus and 1 species
Halspiviridae genome
Figure 1.Halspiviridae. Genome organisation of a member of the family Halspiviridae. Boxes indicate open reading frames as annotated on GenBank accession AF191796.
Halspiviridae taxonomy
Figure 2.Halspiviridae. Relationships of the taxa connected to the family Halspiviridae.

Derivation of name

Halspiviridae; from halophilic and spindle-shaped.