Family: Picornaviridae
Genus: Ampivirus
Distinguishing features
The genus is distinguished on the basis of genetic characters. The known ampiviruses have rather large protease and polymerase proteins compared to those of other picornaviruses.
Virion
Morphology
No details are available on the morphology of virions.
Nucleic acid
Genome (Reuter et al., 2015): 9,246 nt (5′-UTR: 970 nt; ORF: 8,142 nt; 3′-UTR: 134 nt). The location of the cre has not been identified.
Genome organization and replication
Genome layout:
VPg+5′-UTRIRES-[1AB-1C-1D/2A-2B-2C/3A-3B-3C-3D]-3′-UTR-poly(A)
The deduced polyprotein is of 2,713 amino acids. There is no L protein. The function of 2A is unknown.
Biology
No virus has been isolated. Viral RNA was detected in faeces of apparently healthy common newts (Lissotriton vulgaris).
Derivation of names
Ampivirus: from amphibian picornavirus
Species demarcation criteria
There is only a single species in the genus.