| Alphaspiravirus | |
|---|---|
Virus classification 
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| (unranked): | Virus |
| Family: | Spiraviridae |
| Genus: | Alphaspiravirus |
| Species | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Spiraviridae is a family of incertae sedis viruses that replicate in hyperthermophilic archaea of the genus Aeropyrum, specifically Aeropyrum pernix.[1] The family contains one genus, Alphaspiravirus, which contains one species, Aeropyrum coil-shaped virus.[2] The virions of ACV are non-enveloped and in the shape of hollow cylinders that are formed by a coiling fiber that consists of two intertwining halves of the circular DNA strand inside a capsid. An appendage protrudes from each end of the cylindrical virion. The viral genome is ssDNA(+) and encodes for significantly more genes than other known ssDNA viruses. ACV is also unique in that it appears to lack its own enzymes to aid replication, instead likely using the host cell's replisomes. ACV has no known relation to any other archaea-infecting viruses, but it does share its coil-like morphology with some other archaeal viruses, suggesting that such viruses may be an ancient lineage that only infect archaea.[1][3]
- ^ a b Prangishvili D, Mochizuki T, Krupovic M (2020). "ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Spiraviridae". J Gen Virol. 101 (3): 240–241. doi:10.1099/jgv.0.001385. PMC 7416610. PMID 31961791.
- ^ "Virus Taxonomy: 2022 Release". International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). March 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
- ^ Mochizuki T, Krupovic M, Pehau-Arnaudet G, Sako Y, Forterre P, Prangishvili D (2012). "Archaeal virus with exceptional virion architecture and the largest single-stranded DNA genome". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 109 (33): 13386–91. Bibcode:2012PNAS..10913386M. doi:10.1073/pnas.1203668109. PMC 3421227. PMID 22826255.