Family: Vertoviridae
This is a summary page created by the ICTV Report Editors using information from associated Taxonomic Proposals and the Master Species List.
Edited by: Mart Krupovic
Posted: June 2023
Summary
The family Vertoviridae includes dsDNA viruses with icosahedral capsids and contractile tails. Vertoviruses infect hyperhalophilic archaea, such as Natrialba magadii and Halobacterium salinarum (Table 1.Vertoviridae). The family was established in 2022 (Master Species List #37).
Table 1.Vertoviridae. Characteristics of members of the family Vertoviridae.
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Characteristic |
Description |
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Example |
Natrialba virus PhiCh1 (MK450543), species Myohalovirus phiCh1, genus Myohalovirus |
|
Virion |
Icosahedral capsid and contractile tail with short terminal fibres (myovirus morphology) |
|
Genome |
DNA genome of 55–58 kbp, circularly permuted |
|
Host range |
Hyperhalophilic archaea, such as Natrialba magadii (halophlic/alkaliphilic) and Halobacterium salinarum (hyperhalophilic) |
|
Taxonomy |
Realm Duplodnaviria, kingdom Heunggongvirae, phylum Uroviricota, class Caudoviricetes: 2 genera and 3 species |
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Figure 1.Vertoviridae. Genome organisation of Natrialba virus PhiCh1, a member of the family Vertoviridae. Boxes indicate open reading frames as annotated on GenBank accession MK450543. |
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Figure 2.Vertoviridae. Relationships of the taxa connected to the family Vertoviridae. |
Derivation of name
Vertoviridae: From Latin verto, meaning invert (referring to the invertible tail fiber locus)