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.