Family: Picornaviridae

Genus: Sicinivirus

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., 2014, Bullman et al., 2014): up to 9,874 nt (5′-UTR: up to 1,009 nt; ORF: up to 8,610; 3′-UTR: up to 308 nt). The 5′-UTR contains a predicted type II IRES. The location of the cre has not been identified. 

Genome organization and replication

Genome layout:

VPg+5′-UTR^IRES-II-[L/1AB-1C-1D/2A^H-box/NC-2B-2C/3A-3B-3C-3D]-3′-UTR-poly(A)

The deduced polyprotein has 2,855–2,870 amino acids. There is an L protein of unknown function. 1AB remains uncleaved. The 2A protein has an H-box/NC motif. 

Biology

No virus has been isolated. Viral RNA was detected in faeces of chickens. Eight genetic types are distinguished by means of phylogenetic analysis. 

Derivation of names

Sicinivirus: from Gaelic sicín, "chicken"

Species demarcation criteria

There is only a single species in the genus. 

Related, unclassified viruses

Virus names and virus abbreviations are not official ICTV designations. 

* partial genome