Lipothrixviridae
Encyclopedia
The Lipothrixviridae family consists of a family of virus
es that infect archaea
.
.
There are four genera in this family: Alphalipothrixvirus, Betalipothrixvirus, Gammalipothrixvirus and Deltalipothrixvirus. They are classified into genera based on their genomic properties and on the diversity of their terminal appendages, which are involved in host cell recognition.
In the genus Gammalipothrixvirus claw-like structures are found at either end of the viron.
From either end of the viron are protrusions extending from the core through the envelope. The capsid itself is elongated and exhibits helical symmetry. The core itself is helical.
There two major capsid proteins (MCP1 and MCP2). The basic MCP1 protein forms a core around which the genomic dsDNA is wrapped, whereas MCP2 interacts with the genome with its basic N-terminal region and the hydrophilic C-terminal domain is embedded into the lipid envelope
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...
es that infect archaea
Archaea
The Archaea are a group of single-celled microorganisms. A single individual or species from this domain is called an archaeon...
.
Taxonomy
These viruses share characteristics from the Rudiviridae family and both have are filamentous viruses with linear dsDNA genomes that infect thermophilic archaea in the kingdom CrenarchaeotaCrenarchaeota
In taxonomy, the Crenarchaeota has been classified as either a phylum of the Archaea kingdom or a kingdom of its own...
.
There are four genera in this family: Alphalipothrixvirus, Betalipothrixvirus, Gammalipothrixvirus and Deltalipothrixvirus. They are classified into genera based on their genomic properties and on the diversity of their terminal appendages, which are involved in host cell recognition.
In the genus Gammalipothrixvirus claw-like structures are found at either end of the viron.
Virology
The viruses are enveloped and rod-shaped. The capsid varies considerably in length - 410-1950 nanometers (nm) - and is 24-38 nm in diameter. The envelope has a bilayer structure and include glycolipids and phospholipids, di-phytanyl tetraethers lipids. The phosphate residues of phospholipids are oriented towards the inside of the viron; the glycosyl residues of glycolipids are oriented towards the outside of the viron.From either end of the viron are protrusions extending from the core through the envelope. The capsid itself is elongated and exhibits helical symmetry. The core itself is helical.
There two major capsid proteins (MCP1 and MCP2). The basic MCP1 protein forms a core around which the genomic dsDNA is wrapped, whereas MCP2 interacts with the genome with its basic N-terminal region and the hydrophilic C-terminal domain is embedded into the lipid envelope