Members of the genus Alphatorquevirus have genomes of 3–3.9 kb and have been identified in humans and non-human primates.
Different species in the genus have orf1 genes with <69% pairwise identity.
Members of the genus Aleptorquevirus have genomes of 2.3–2.5 kb and have been identified in rabbits and hares of the Leporidae family; a virus from a mosquito may be bloodmeal-derived.
Different species in the genus have orf1 genes with <69% pairwise identity.
Simona Kraberger, Tanja Opriessnig, Fabrizio Maggi, Vladimir Celer, Hiroaki Okamoto, Lia van der Hoek, Philippe Biagini, Mart Krupovic and Arvind Varsani
The citation for this ICTV Report chapter is the summary to be published as Kraberger et al., (2026):
ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Anelloviridae 2026, Journal of General Virology, (in press)
Similar to comovirins, cheraviruses, sadwaviruses, stralariviruses, and torradoviruses, the genome of merseviruses is bipartite. However, the RNA1 of merseviruses codes for a polyprotein that is proteolytically cleaved into six predicted proteins instead of the more conventional five proteins. The sixth protein located at the N-terminus of the polyprotein encoded by RNA1 codes a Ham1 domain with predicted inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (ITPase) activities.
Virus names, the choice of exemplar isolates, and virus abbreviations, are not official ICTV designations
Exemplar isolate of the species
A summary of this ICTV Report chapter will be published as an ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile article in the Journal of General Virology, and should be cited when referencing this online chapter as follows:
Evelien M. Adriaenssens, Ryan Cook, Valerian Dolja, Eugene V. Koonin, Mart Krupovic, Jens H. Kuhn, Cédric Lood, Alejandro Reyes Muñoz, Dann Turner, Arvind Varsani, Paola K. Vaz, Thomas Waltzek, Yuri I. Wolf, Natalia Yutin, F. Murilo Zerbini (2025): ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: 2025, Journal of General Virology (in press)
Evelien M. Adriaenssens*
Microbes and Food Safety; Food, Microbiome and Health
Quadram Institute Bioscience
Rosalind Franklin Road
NR4 7UQ Norwich
United Kingdom
Email: evelien.adriaenssens@quadram.ac.uk
Ryan Cook
Food, Microbiome and Health
Quadram Institute Bioscience
Rosalind Franklin Road
NR4 7UQ Norwich
United Kingdom
Email: ryan.cook@quadram.ac.uk
