ICTV Report

Family: Vertoviridae (interim Report)

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.

CharacteristicDescription
ExampleNatrialba virus PhiCh1 (MK450543), species Myohalovirus phiCh1, genus Myohalovirus
VirionIcosahedral capsid and contractile tail with short terminal fibres (myovirus morphology)
GenomeDNA genome of 55–58 kbp, circularly permuted
Host rangeHyperhalophilic archaea, such as Natrialba magadii (halophlic/alkaliphilic) and Halobacterium salinarum (hyperhalophilic)
TaxonomyRealm Duplodnaviria, kingdom Heunggongvirae, phylum Uroviricota, class Caudoviricetes: 2 genera and 3 species
Vertoviridae genome
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.
Vertoviridae taxonomy
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)