Family: Picornaviridae
Genus: Myrropivirus
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 (Shi et al., 2018): c. 7,994 nt (5′-UTR: 822 nt; ORF: 6,969 nt; 3′-UTR: 203 nt). The location of the cre has not been identified.
Genome organization and replication
Genome layout:
VPg+5′-UTRIRES-[L/1AB-1C-1D/2AH-box/NC-2B-2C/3A-3B-3C-3D]-3′-UTR-poly(A)
The deduced polyprotein is of 2,323 amino acids. There is an L protein with unknown function. The 1AB protein remains uncleaved. The 2A protein has an H-box/NC sequence motif.
Biology
No virus has been isolated. Viral RNA was detected in organ pools (gut, liver, lungs) of Chinese water snakes (Myrrophis chinensis).
Derivation of names
Myrropivirus: derived from Myrrophis chinensis (host) and picornavirus
Species demarcation criteria
There is only a single species in the genus.