Family: Picornaviridae
Genus: Hemipivirus
Distinguishing features
The genus is distinguished on the basis of genetic characters.
Virion
Morphology
No details are available on the morphology of virions.
Nucleic acid
Genome (Shi et al., 2018): c. 7,969 nt (5′-UTR: 466 nt; ORF: 7,398 nt; 3'-UTR: 105 nt). The location of the cre has not been identified.
Genome organization and replication
Genome layout:
VPg+5′-UTRIRES-[L/1AB-1C-1D/2AH-box/NC-2B-2C/3A-3B-3C-3D]-3′-UTR-poly(A)
The deduced polyprotein is of 2,466 amino acids. There is an L protein with unknown function. The 1AB protein remains uncleaved. The 2A protein has an H-box/NC sequence motif.
Biology
No virus has been isolated. Viral RNA was detected in organ pools (gut, liver, lungs) of oriental leaf-toed geckos (Hemidactylus bowringii).
Derivation of names
Hemipivirus: derived from Hemidactylus bowringii (host) and picornavirus
Species demarcation criteria
There is only a single species in the genus.