Virus classification is the process of naming viruses and placing them into a taxonomic system similar to the classification systems used for cellular organisms.
Myoviridae was a family of bacteriophages in the order Caudovirales. The family Myoviridae and order Caudovirales have now been abolished, with the term myovirus now used to refer to the morphology of viruses in this former family. Bacteria and archaea serve as natural hosts. There were 625 species in this family, assigned to eight subfamilies and 217 genera.
Podoviridae was a family of bacteriophage in the order Caudovirales often associated with T-7 like phages. The family and order Caudoviraleshave now been abolished, with the term podovirus now used to refer to the morphology of viruses in this former family. There were 130 species in this family, assigned to 3 subfamilies and 52 genera. This family was characterized by having very short, noncontractile tails. Many former phages in the former family Podoviriade are now classified in the Autographiviridae
Luteoviridae was a family of viruses. The family was abolished in 2020 based on evidence that its three genera and seven species unassigned to a genus belonged to two other, existing families.
Caudoviricetes is a class of viruses known as the tailed bacteriophages. Under the Baltimore classification scheme, the Caudoviricetes are group I viruses as they have double stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes, which can be anywhere from 18,000 base pairs to 500,000 base pairs in length. The virus particles have a distinct shape; each virion has an icosahedral head that contains the viral genome, and is attached to a flexible tail by a connector protein. The order encompasses a wide range of viruses, many containing genes of similar nucleotide sequence and function. However, some tailed bacteriophage genomes can vary quite significantly in nucleotide sequence, even among the same genus. Due to their characteristic structure and possession of potentially homologous genes, it is believed these bacteriophages possess a common origin.
The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) authorizes and organizes the taxonomic classification of and the nomenclature for viruses. The ICTV develops a universal taxonomic scheme for viruses, and thus has the means to appropriately describe, name, and classify every virus taxon. The members of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses are considered expert virologists. The ICTV was formed from and is governed by the Virology Division of the International Union of Microbiological Societies. Detailed work, such as identifying new taxa and delimiting the boundaries of species, genera, families, etc. typically is performed by study groups of experts in the families.
Cyanophages are viruses that infect cyanobacteria, also known as Cyanophyta or blue-green algae. Cyanobacteria are a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through the process of photosynthesis. Although cyanobacteria metabolize photoautotrophically like eukaryotic plants, they have prokaryotic cell structure. Cyanophages can be found in both freshwater and marine environments. Marine and freshwater cyanophages have icosahedral heads, which contain double-stranded DNA, attached to a tail by connector proteins. The size of the head and tail vary among species of cyanophages. Cyanophages infect a wide range of cyanobacteria and are key regulators of the cyanobacterial populations in aquatic environments, and may aid in the prevention of cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater and marine ecosystems. These blooms can pose a danger to humans and other animals, particularly in eutrophic freshwater lakes. Infection by these viruses is highly prevalent in cells belonging to Synechococcus spp. in marine environments, where up to 5% of cells belonging to marine cyanobacterial cells have been reported to contain mature phage particles.
Guttaviridae is a family of viruses. Archaea serve as natural hosts. There are two genera in this family, containing one species each. The name is derived from the Latin gutta, meaning 'droplet'.
Globuloviridae is a family of hyperthermophilic archaeal viruses. Crenarchaea of the genera Pyrobaculum and Thermoproteus serve as natural hosts. There are four species in this family, assigned to a single genus, Alphaglobulovirus.
Hypovirus is a genus of viruses, in the family Hypoviridae. Fungi serve as natural hosts. There are four species in this genus. Infection reduces the virulence of its parasitic host, making it a hyperparasite useful for blight control.
Autographiviridae is a family of viruses in the order Caudovirales. Bacteria serve as natural hosts. There are 373 species in this family, assigned to 9 subfamilies and 133 genera.
Vibrio virus K139 is a bacteriophage of the family Myoviridae, genus Longwoodvirus.
Pseudomonas virus phiCTX is a virus of the family Myoviridae, genus Citexvirus.
Ralstonia virus RSA1 is a virus of the family Myoviridae, genus Aresaunavirus.
Proboscivirus is a genus of viruses in the order Herpesvirales, in the family Herpesviridae, in the subfamily Betaherpesvirinae. Elephants serve as natural hosts. EEHV1 is apathogenic for African elephants but causes fatal haemorrhagic disease in Asian elephants. The name "Proboscivirus" comes from the Greek word προβοσκίς or "proboscis" meaning "the elephant trunk," for which the virus accordingly uses as its means of contraction and transmission to enter the elephant's body.
Peduoviridae is a family of viruses in the class Caudoviricetes. It was previously treated as a subfamily of the morphology based family Myoviridae, which has been found to be paraphyletic and is no longer recognised. Bacteria serve as natural hosts. There are 126 species in this subfamily, assigned to 58 genera.
Tevenvirinae is a subfamily of viruses in the family Straboviridae of class Caudoviricetes. The subfamily was previously placed in the morphology-based family Myoviridae, which was found to be paraphyletic in genome studies and abolished in the 2021 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) classification. Bacteria and archaea serve as natural hosts. There are 148 species in this subfamily, included in 14 genera.
Eucampyvirinae is a subfamily of viruses in the order Caudovirales, in the family Myoviridae. Bacteria of the genus Campylobacter serve as natural hosts. There are 9 species in this subfamily, assigned to 2 genera.
Adnaviria is a realm of viruses that includes archaeal viruses that have a filamentous virion and a linear, double-stranded DNA genome. The genome exists in A-form (A-DNA) and encodes a dimeric major capsid protein (MCP) that contains the SIRV2 fold, a type of alpha-helix bundle containing four helices. The virion consists of the genome encased in capsid proteins to form a helical nucleoprotein complex. For some viruses, this helix is surrounded by a lipid membrane called an envelope. Some contain an additional protein layer between the nucleoprotein helix and the envelope. Complete virions are long and thin and may be flexible or a stiff like a rod.
Straboviridae is a family of bacteriophages in the class Caudoviricetes. The viruses in this family were formerly place in the morphology-based family Myoviridae, which was found to be paraphyletic in genome studies and abolished in the 2021 International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) classification, although the term myovirus is still used to refer to the morphology of viruses in this new family. Bacteria and archaea serve as natural hosts. There were 209 species in this family, assigned to 36 genera and three subfamilies.
