Mimiviridae

Mimiviridae
Virus classification
Group:	Group I (dsDNA)
Family:	Mimiviridae
Species
Cafeteria roenbergensis virus Courdovirus Mamavirus Mimivirus Moumouvirus Terravirus 1 Terravirus 2

Mimiviridae is a family of double stranded DNA viruses. Viruses in this family belong to the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA virus clade (NCLDV), a group which includes members of families Asfarviridae, Iridoviridae, Phycodnaviridae and Poxviridae and the genus Dinodnavirus.

History

The first member of this family - the Mimivirus - was discovered in 2003.^[1]

Taxonomy

Although only a few members of this family have been described in detail it seems likely there are many more awaiting description.^[2][3] These include Chrysochromulina ericina virus 01, Phaeocystis pouchetii virus 01 and Pyramimonas orientalis virus 01. While these later viruses have been isolated they have yet to be fully characterized.

References

1. ^ Suzan-Monti M, La Scola B, Raoult D (2006) Genomic and evolutionary aspects of Mimivirus. Virus Res 117(1):145-155
2. ^ Ghedin E, Claverie JM (2005) Mimivirus relatives in the Sargasso sea. Virol J. 2:62
3. ^ Monier A, Claverie JM, Ogata H (2008) Taxonomic distribution of large DNA viruses in the sea. Genome Biol. 9(7):R106.