Virus Properties by Family

 

Columns in the table with blue text headers can be sorted by clicking on the header text. Clicking twice will reverse the sort order.

Family
This column lists the virus families that are recognized in the current Master Species List (MSL).

Genome composition
This column describes the chemical nature of the genome (DNA or RNA) and whether it is double-stranded (ds) or single stranded (ss). The suffix -RT indicates that reverse transcription is involved in the replication of the genome.

For ss genomes, the polarity of the genome is indicated: (+), mRNA polarity; (-), complementary to mRNA; (+/-), ambisense. At the family level, viruses with segmented genomes may have segments with different polarities (e.g., some arenaviruses have only ssRNA(-), others have ssRNA(-) and ssRNA(+/-) segments. In this case, the genome composition is designated as ssRNA(-); ssRNA(+/-) to indicate that both forms can be found in the genome.

Genome organization
This column indicates if the genome is a linear or circular molecule and the number of segments

Total genome size (kb or kbp)
This column indicates the range of sizes encompassed by genomes of virus isolates described in the current Virus Metadata Resource (VMR).

Envelope?
This column indicates if the virion is known to have, or not have, a lipid envelope. A value of "Yes or No" indicates the variable presence of an envelope. Viruses identified only by metagenomics will usually not have a value in this column (envelope is "not determined").

Virion shape
This column indicates the shape of the virion, as seen by electron microscopy. The column also includes some predicted morphologies but does not include information for many viruses identified only by metagenomics.

Virion size
This column indicates the range of virion sizes encompassed by virus isolates described in the current VMR.

Host
This column indicates the known host(s) of viruses in the family. Hosts are uncertain for many viruses, especially those described by metagenomic analysis of environmental samples. The term protist is used to mean any eukaryotic organism that is not an animal, plant or fungus.

ICTV Report Chapter
This column provides a link to the relevant ICTV online report chapter.

Display families with the following properties:

Enter any part of a family name
Items per page
Family Genome composition Genome organization Total genome size (kb or kbp) Envelope? Virion shape Virion size Host ICTV Report Chapter
Orthototiviridae dsRNA 1 linear segment 3.9–5.6 no icosahedral 40–49 nm diameter protists, fungi, plants, invertebrates
Ouroboviridae ssDNA(+/-) 1 circular segment 1.2–2.6 invertebrates, vertebrates
Ovaliviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 23.2–23.3 yes ellipsoid 115 nm long, 80 nm wide archaea Ovaliviridae
Pachyviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 71.4–78.9 no head-tail 60 nm diameter head, 20 nm long tail bacteria
Papillomaviridae dsDNA 1 circular segment 5.7–8.7 no icosahedral 55 nm diameter vertebrates Papillomaviridae
Paramyxoviridae ssRNA(-) 1 linear segment 14.6–21.6 yes pleomorphic, mostly spherical (also filaments) 300–500 nm diameter vertebrates Paramyxoviridae
Partitiviridae dsRNA 2 linear segments 3.0–4.8 no icosahedral 25–43 nm diameter protists, fungi, plants Partitiviridae
Parvoviridae ssDNA; ssDNA(+/-) 1–2 linear segments 3.4–6.4 no icosahedral 18–26 nm diameter invertebrates, vertebrates Parvoviridae
Paulinoviridae ssDNA(+) 1 circular segment 5.6–5.9 no rod-shaped 7–12 nm diameter, 620–830 nm long bacteria
Pecoviridae ssDNA(+/-) 1 circular segment 2.7–3.1 vertebrates
Peduoviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 27.4–45.0 no head-tail 55–60 nm diameter head, 135–150 nm long tail bacteria
Peribunyaviridae ssRNA(-) 3 linear segments 10.6–13.4 yes pleomorphic, mostly spherical 80–120 nm diameter invertebrates, vertebrates Peribunyaviridae
Permutotetraviridae ssRNA(+) 1 linear segment 5.6–5.7 no icosahedral 40 nm diameter invertebrates
Pervagoviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 72.5–73.0 no head-tail 60 nm diameter head, 23 nm long tail bacteria
Phasmaviridae ssRNA(-) 3 linear segments 10.4–15.5 yes spherical 80–120 nm diameter invertebrates
Phenuiviridae ssRNA(-); ssRNA(+/-) 2–8 linear segments 7.7–25.2 yes or no spherical or filamentous 80–120 nm diameter or 2–2.5 nm in diameter, 200–3000 nm long fungi, plants, invertebrates, vertebrates Phenuiviridae
Phlegiviridae dsRNA 1 linear segment 9.4–11.6 no icosahedral or capsidless 55 nm diameter fungi
Phycodnaviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 154.6–407.4 no icosahedral 100–220 nm diameter protists
Picobirnaviridae dsRNA 2 linear segments 3.5–4.3 no icosahedral 33–37 nm diameter bacteria Picobirnaviridae
Picornaviridae ssRNA(+) 1 linear segment 2.1–10.2 no icosahedral 30–32 nm diameter vertebrates Picornaviridae
Pigerviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 53.2–53.3 predicted head-tail archaea
Pistolviridae dsRNA 1 linear segment 5.8–6.7 no icosahedral 50 nm diameter vertebrates
Pithoviridae dsDNA 1 circular segment 610.0–610.1 no ovoid 1000–1500 nm long, 500 nm wide protists
Plasmaviridae dsDNA 1 circular segment 11.9–12.0 yes pleomorphic, mostly spherical 50–125 nm diameter bacteria Plasmaviridae
Plectroviridae ssDNA(+) 1 circular segment 4.4–8.3 no rod-shaped 10–16 nm diameter, 70–280 nm long bacteria Plectroviridae
Pleolipoviridae ssDNA; ssDNA(+/-) or dsDNA 1 circular segment, or 1 linear segment 7.0–17.0 yes pleomorphic or pseudo-spherical 40–70 nm diameter archaea Pleolipoviridae
Pneumoviridae ssRNA(-) 1 linear segment 13.3–15.3 yes pleomorphic, filamentous or spherical 70–90 nm diameter and >2000 nm long, or 80–600 nm diameter vertebrates Pneumoviridae
Polycipiviridae ssRNA(+) 1 linear segment 10.3–12.2 no icosahedral 33 nm diameter invertebrates Polycipiviridae
Polydnaviriformidae dsDNA multiple circular segments 185.2–567.7 yes ellipsoid 250 nm diameter, 200–900 nm long invertebrates
Polymycoviridae dsRNA 4–8 linear segments 7.4–12.3 no filamentous or unconventional 12 nm diameter, ≧1000 nm long fungi Polymycoviridae
Polyomaviridae dsDNA 1 circular segment 3.9–7.4 no icosahedral 40–45 nm diameter vertebrates Polyomaviridae
Pootjesviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 143.3–158.6 no head-tail 84–90 nm diameter head, 80–140 nm long tail bacteria
Portogloboviridae dsDNA 1 circular segment 20.2–20.5 no icosahedral 90 nm diameter archaea Portogloboviridae
Pospiviroidae ssRNA 1 circular segment 0.2–0.4 capsidless plants Pospiviroidae
Potyviridae ssRNA(+) 1–2 linear segments 8.1–11.7 no filamentous 11–20 nm diameter, 650–950 nm long plants Potyviridae
Poxviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 127.8–359.9 yes oval or brick-shaped 220–450 nm long x 140–260 nm wide x 140–260 nm high invertebrates, vertebrates Poxviridae
Pseudototiviridae dsRNA 1 linear segment 4.6–6.3 no icosahedral 30–45 nm diameter protists, fungi, vertebrates
Pseudoviridae ssRNA-RT 2 identical linear segments 4.6–21.9 no spherical or ovoid 20–40 nm diameter protists, fungi, plants, invertebrates Pseudoviridae
Pungoviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 37.0–37.1 no head-tail 60 nm diameter head, 125 nm long tail archaea
Pyrstoviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 42.2–42.3 no head-tail 50 nm diameter head, 60 nm long tail archaea Pyrstoviridae
Qinviridae ssRNA(-) 2 linear segments 7.3–8.3 invertebrates Qinviridae
Quadriviridae dsRNA 4 linear segments 16.8–17.6 no icosahedral 48 nm diameter fungi Quadriviridae
Quambiviridae ssRNA(+/-) 1 circular segment 4.5–5.2 fungi
Redondoviridae ssDNA(+/-) (inferred) 1 circular segment 3.0–3.1 vertebrates Redondoviridae
Retroviridae ssRNA-RT 2 identical linear segments 2.4–13.3 yes spherical 80–100 nm diameter vertebrates Retroviridae
Rhabdoviridae ssRNA(-) 1–2 linear segments 9.8–16.2 yes or no bullet-shaped/bacilliform or filamentous 45–100 nm diameter, 100–430 nm long, or variable plants, invertebrates, vertebrates Rhabdoviridae
Rhodogtaviriformidae dsDNA multisegmented uncertain no oblate, head-tail 45 nm long and 65 nm wide head, 50 nm long tail bacteria
Roniviridae ssRNA(+) 1 linear segment 26.2–29.2 yes rod-shaped 40–60 nm diameter, 150–200 nm long invertebrates Roniviridae
Rountreeviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 16.6–18.9 no head-tail 55 nm diameter head, 27 nm long tail bacteria
Rudiviridae dsDNA 1 linear segment 20.2–36.5 no filamentous 23–38 nm diameter, 830–900 nm long archaea Rudiviridae