Dinodnavirus

Dinodnavirus is a genus of viruses whose members infect dinoflagellates. The genus belongs to the group of Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses. The name is derived from dino for dinoflagellate and DNA. The type species is the Heterocapsa circularisquama DNA virus 01

Virology

The virus has an icosahedral capsid with about 200 nm in diameter. Its genome consists of a ds- DNA of a size of about 356 kb. The virus infects the Dinoflagellatum Heterocapsa circularisquama. During replication result virions from a portion of the cytoplasm, so-called Viroplasma produced by the virus.

Taxonomy

The classification of this genus is still unclear. The type species was originally assigned the Phycodnaviridae family. Studies of the genome of Dinodnaviren have shown that the genus is more closely associated to the family of Asfarviridae.