Dinodnavirus
| Dinodnavirus | |
|---|---|
Virus classification 
| |
| (unranked): | Virus |
| Genus: | Dinodnavirus |
Dinodnavirus is a genus of viruses that infect dinoflagellates.[1] This genus belongs to the clade of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses. The name is derived from 'dino' (dinoflagellate) and DNA (from its genome).
The type species is Heterocapsa circularisquama DNA virus 01.
Virology
The virus has an icosahedral capsid ~200 nanometers in diameter.
The genome is a single molecule of double stranded DNA of a ~356-kilobases.
It infects the dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama.
During replication virions emerge from a specific cytoplasm compartment - the 'viroplasm' - which is created by the virus.[2]
Taxonomy
The taxonomic position of this genus is unclear at present.
The type species was originally thought to belong to the family Phycodnaviridae. DNA studies have shown that it seems more likely to be related to the family Asfarviridae.[3]
References
- ^ Tarutani K, Nagasaki K, Itakura S, Yamaguchi M (2001) Isolation of a virus infecting the novel shellfish-killing dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama. Aquat Microb Ecol 23:103-111
- ^ Nagasaki K, Tomaru Y, Tarutani K, Katanozaka N, Yamanaka S, Tanabe H, Yamaguchi M (2003) Growth characteristics and intraspecies host specificity of a large virus infecting the dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:2580-2586
- ^ Ogata H, Toyoda K, Tomaru Y, Nakayama N, Shirai Y, Claverie JM, Nagasaki K (2009) Remarkable sequence similarity between the dinoflagellate-infecting marine girus and the terrestrial pathogen African swine fever virus. Virol J 6:178