Fusellovirus is a genus of dsDNA virus

Virus

A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...

, which infect the species of the clade Archaea

Archaea

The Archaea are a group of single-celled microorganisms. A single individual or species from this domain is called an archaeon...

. The Fuselloviridae are ubiquitous in high-temperature (≥70°C), acidic (pH ≤4) hot springs around the world. They are one of the few viruses to possess a lipid membrane and a protective inner capsid in the form of a core.

Virology

The viron is enveloped, lemon shaped and has a short tail at one pole. In diameter it is ~60 nanometers (nm) and ~100 nm in length. The envelope is highly hydrophobic.

The genome is circular, between 14.8 to 17.3 kilobases in length and encode 31 to 37 genes.

Life cycle

The family of viruses appear to be lysogentic rather than lytic. After injection of the viral DNA into the host, the genome integrates in to a specific tRNA gene of the host. From this location transcription and replication of the viral genome occurs which in turn leads to the assembly of new viruses. These are released from the host by budding.

Taxonomy

Type species: Sulfolobus virus 1 (Synonym(s): Sulfolobus shibatae bacteriophage SSV1. ICTV approved acronym: SSV-1.)

External links

• Viralzone: Fuselloviridae