Family: Picornaviridae

Genus: Tropivirus

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. 8,049 nt (5′-UTR: 773 nt; ORF: 7,077 nt; 3'-UTR: 199 nt). The location of the cre has not been identified. 

Genome organization and replication

Genome layout:

VPg+5′-UTR^IRES-[L-1AB-1C-1D/2A^H-box/NC-2B-2C/3A-3B-3C-3D]-3′-UTR-poly(A)

The deduced polyprotein is of 2,359 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 Chinese water skinks (Tropidophorus sinensis). 

Derivation of names

Tropivirus: derived from Tropidophorus sinicus (host) and picornavirus

Species demarcation criteria

There is only a single species in the genus. 

Related, unclassified viruses

Virus names and virus abbreviations are not official ICTV designations.