Family: Picornaviridae
Genus: Felipivirus
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 (Lau et al., 2012): c. 7,391 nt (5′-UTR: >299 nt; ORF: 7,011 nt; 3′-UTR: 81 nt). The location of the cre has not been identified.
Genome organization and replication
Genome layout:
VPg+5′-UTRIRES-[L-1A-1B-1C-1D/2Apro-2B-2C/3A-3B-3C-3D]-3′-UTR-poly(A)
The deduced polyprotein is of 2,337 amino acids. There is an L protein with unknown function. The 2A protein has been proposed to be a chymotrypsin-like protease.
Biology
No virus has been isolated. Viral RNA was detected in faecal samples of domestic cats. Two genetic types have been identified by means of phylogenetic analysis.
Derivation of names
Felipivirus: derived from feles (Latin, cat) and picornavirus
Species demarcation criteria
There is only a single species in the genus.