| Dicistroviruses | |
|---|---|
| Virus classification | |
| Group: | Group IV ((+)ssRNA) |
| Order: | Picornavirales |
| Family: | Dicistroviridae |
| Genera | |
|
Aparavirus |
|
The Dicistroviridae are a family of Group IV (positive-sense ssRNA) insect-infecting viruses. Some of the insects commonly infected by dicistroviruses include aphids, leafhoppers, flies, bees, ants, silkworms.
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Although many dicistroviruses were initially placed in the Picornaviridae they have since been reclassified into their own family. The name (Dicistro) is derived from the characteristic di-cistronic arrangement of the genome.
This family is a member of the 'picornavirus-like superfamily' (Comoviridae, Iflavirus, Picornaviridae, Potyviridae and Sequiviridae). Within this superfamily the gene order is the gene order of the non-structural proteins Hel(helicase)-Pro(protease)-RdRp(polymerase). The Dicistroviridae can be distinguished from the members of the taxa by the location of the their genome's organisation: the structural proteins are located at the 3' end rather than the 5' end (as found in Iflavirus, Picornaviridae and Sequiviridae) and by having 2 genomic segments rather than a single one (as in the Comoviridae).
This family has been divided into two genera and a number of as yet unclassified species.
Other species:
Many of the Dicistroviridae genomes contains structured RNA elements. For example, the Cripaviruses have an internal ribosome entry site,[1] which mimics a Met-tRNA and is used in the initiation of translation.[2]