Schizot4likevirus

Schizot4likevirus is a genus of viruses in the family Myoviridae, within the subfamily Tevenvirinae. Bacteria serve as the natural host, with transmission achieved through passive diffusion. There are currently two species in this genus, including the type species Vibrio phage KVP40.^[1][2][3]

Taxonomy

Species:

• Vibrio phage KVP40 (type species)
• Vibrio phage nt-1

Structure

Schizot4likeviruses are nonenveloped, with a head and tail. The head is a prolate spheroid approximately 140 nm in length and 70 nm in width. The tail is around 140 nm long, has 6 long terminal fibers, 6 short spikes, and a small base plate. The tail is enclosed in a sheath, which loosens and slides around the tail core upon contraction.^[1]

Genome

Both species have been fully sequenced. They range between 244k and 248k nucleotides, with 379 to 381 proteins. The complete genomes are available from , along with the complete genome for Vibrio phage VH7D, an unclassified virus strain.^[3]

Life cycle

The virus attaches to the host cell using its terminal fibers, and uses viral exolysin to degrade the cell wall enough to eject the viral DNA into the host cytoplasm via contraction of its tail sheath. 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.^[1]

History

According to ICTV's 2010–11 report, the genus Schizot4likevirus was first accepted as a new genus, at the same time as its type species Vibrio phage KVP40, as well as its containing subfamily Tevenvirinae. At the same time, Vibrio phage nt-1 was moved into the genus from its previous classification in T4-like viruses (now T4likevirus). This proposal is available here.^[2]

References