Genus: Sapelovirus
Family: Picornaviridae
Genus: Sapelovirus
Distinguishing features
The genus is distinguished on the basis of genetic characters. Sapeloviruses are related to enteroviruses, but possess leader polypeptides of unknown function. The 2A polypeptide may be a cysteine protease, but it is distinct from that of the enteroviruses. The 2B and 3A proteins are also very different from the enteroviruses. In both sapelovirus species the IRES is type IV, whereas in all enterovirus species it is type I.