ICTV Report

Family: Halspiviridae (interim)

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.

Characteristic

Description

Example

His1 (AF191796), species Salterprovirus His1, genus Salterprovirus

Virion

Spindle (lemon)-shaped virions, about 75 nm (long-axis) and 35 nm (short axis)

Genome

Linear, double stranded DNA of 14.5 kbp

Replication

Genome is replicated through protein-primed mechanism by virus-encoded family B DNA polymerase

Translation

Prokaryotic translation using viral mRNA and host ribosomes

Host range

halophilic archaeon Haloarcula hispanica of the phylum Euryarchaeota

Taxonomy

1 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.