DESCRIPTION OF VIRUSES

Family Leviviridae

Genus Levivirus

Genus Levivirus

Type Species

Enterobacteria phage MS2

(MS2)

Distinguishing Features

Viruses contain the short version of the genome, and have a separate gene for cell lysis, which partly overlaps the replicase coding region in the +1 reading frame. Overlap with the capsid protein gene is variable. Synthesis of the lysis protein is dependent on translation of the capsid protein gene. Genome size ranges from 3,466 (GA) to 3,569  nts (MS2) (Fig. 2).

Antigenic Properties

Antigenic specificity is distinct from that of members of the genus Allolevivirus.

List of Species Demarcation Criteria in the Genus

The major difference between the two species (formerly called subgroup I and II) is a 60  nts deletion in 3 UTR of Enterobacteria phage BZ13 (BZ13), corresponding to three small hairpins. Furthermore, the percentage of amino acid or nucleotide sequence identity is dramatically lower between species than between strains within species. As a consequence there is different antigenic specificity. Species can also be distinguished by sequence-specific antisense probes.

List of Species in the Genus

Official virus species names are in italics. Tentative virus species names, alternative names ( ), strains or serotypes are not italicized. Virus names and assigned abbreviations ( ) are:

Species in the Genus

Enterobacteria phage BZ13

(BZ13)

Enterobacteria phage GA

(GA)

Enterobacteria phage JP34

(JP34)

Enterobacteria phage KU1

(KU1)

Enterobacteria phage TH1

(TH1)

Enterobacteria phage MS2

(MS2)

Enterobacteria phage f2

(f2)

Enterobacteria phage fr

(fr)

Enterobacteria phage JP501

(JP501)

Enterobacteria phage M12

(M12)

Enterobacteria phage R17

(R17)

Tentative Species in the Genus

Pseudomonas phage PP7

(PP7)


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