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Updated: Jun 16, 2025

A Rapid Strategy for the Isolation of New Faustoviruses from Environmental Samples Using Vermamoeba vermiformis
Published on: June 4, 2016
2024 Smacoviridae family update: 59 new species in seven genera
Arvind Varsani1,2, Mart Krupovic3
1The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-5001, USA. arvind.varsani@asu.edu.
Abstract:
Family Smacoviridae (order Cremevirales, class Arfiviricetes, phylum Cressdnaviricota) comprises viruses with small circular genomes of ~2300-3000 nt in length that encode at least two proteins, the rolling-circle replication associated protein (Rep) and the capsid protein (CP). Smacovirids have been discovered in fecal samples of various animals and display remarkable sequence diversity. Here, we provide an overview of the genomic properties of classified smacovirids and report on the latest taxonomy update in the family Smacoviridae. The family has been expanded by 59 new species in the genera Porprismacovirus (n = 25), Inpeasmacovirus (n = 1), Felismacovirus (n = 22), Drosmacovirus (n = 4), Dragsmacovirus (n = 2), Bovismacovirus (n = 4), and Bonzesmacovirus (n = 1) and currently includes 12 genera with 143 species officially recognized by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).
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