Felixounavirus
Felixounavirus is a genus of viruses in the order Caudovirales, in the family Myoviridae. Bacteria serve as natural hosts, with transmission achieved through passive diffusion. There are currently 16 species in this genus, including the type species Salmonella virus FelixO1.
Taxonomy
The following species are recognized:Escherichia virus Alf5Escherichia virus AYO145AEscherichia virus EC6Escherichia virus HY02Escherichia virus JH2Escherichia virus TP1Escherichia virus VpaE1Escherichia virus wV8Salmonella virus BPS15Q2Salmonella virus BPS17L1Salmonella virus BPS17W1Salmonella virus FelixO1Salmonella virus MushroomSalmonella virus Si3Salmonella virus SP116
- ''Salmonella virus UAB87''
Structure
Viruses in Felixounavirus are non-enveloped, with head-tail geometries. The diameter is around 73 nm. The tail is around 17 nm wide, 113 nm long, with six long straight terminal fibers and a baseplate. The tail sheath presents a criss-cross pattern with no transverse striations. Genomes are linear, around 86kb in length. The genome codes for 131 proteins.
| Genus | Structure | Symmetry | Capsid | Genomic arrangement | Genomic segmentation |
| Felixounavirus | Head-Tail | | Non-enveloped | Linear | Monopartite |
Genome
All three species have been fully sequenced and are available from ICTV, including two strains of Erwinia phage phiEa21-4. They range between 84k and 89k nucleotides, with 118 to 140 proteins. The complete genomes are available from .
Life cycle
The virus attaches to the host cell using its terminal fibers, and ejects the viral DNA into the host cytoplasm via contraction of its tail sheath. Viral replication is cytoplasmic. DNA-templated transcription is the method of transcription. Once the viral genes have been replicated, the procapsid is assembled and packed. The tail is then assembled and the mature virions are released via lysis.
| Genus | Host details | Tissue tropism | Entry details | Release details | Replication site | Assembly site | Transmission |
| Felixounavirus | Bacteria | - | Injection | Lysis | Cytoplasm | Cytoplasm | Passive diffusion |
History
According to the ICTV's 2010–11 report, the genus FelixO1likevirus was first accepted as a new genus, at the same time as all three of its contained species . The following year, the name was changed to Felixounalikevirus. This proposal is available . The genus was later renamed to Felixounavirus.