Classification of Viruses

In 1966 in Moscow, at the International Congress for Microbiology, 43 virologists created

the International Committee on Nomenclature of Viruses (ICNV) with the aim of
developing a worldwide recognized taxonomy and nomenclature system for all viruses.
The name of the ICNV was changed in 1974 to the more appropriate ICTV. The ICTV,
which is the only committee of the Virology Division of the International Union of
Microbiological Societies, is now recognized as the official international body that decides
on all matters related to taxonomy and nomenclature of viruses.
This committee, which meets every 4 years, establishes the rules for classifying viruses.
It is a committee of the Virology Division of the International Union of
Microbiological Societies which authorizes and organizes the taxonomic classification
of viruses. They have developed a universal taxonomic scheme for viruses and aim to
describe all the viruses of living organisms. Members of the committee are considered to
be world experts on viruses.
The system shares many features with the classification system of cellular organisms,
such as taxon structure. However, this system of nomenclature differs from other
taxonomic codes on several points. A minor point is that names of orders and families are
italicized, unlike in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants
and International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.
The committee also operates an authoritative database (ICTVdB) containing taxonomic
information for 2,284 virus species, as of 2011. It is open to the public and is searchable
by several different means.
Because viruses are so different from cellular organisms, it is difficult to classify them
according to typical taxonomic categories—kingdom, phylum, and the like. The family
has been the highest taxonomic category used by the ICTV. Viral genera also have been
established, but most are new and slow to gain acceptance.
Despite advances in classification, the problems of defining and naming viral species—a
group of viruses that share the same genome and the same relationships with organisms
— and of distinguishing between viral species and viral strains have not yet been
resolved completely.
Viral classification starts at the level of order and follows as thus, with the taxon suffixes
given in italics:
Order (-virales)
Family (-viridae)
Subfamily (-virinae)
Genus (-virus)
Species
Species names generally take the form of [Disease] virus.
The establishment of an order is based on the inference that the virus families contained
within a single order have most likely evolved from a common ancestor. The majority of
virus families remain unplaced. Currently (2011), six orders, 87 families, 19 subfamilies,
349 genera, and 2,284 species of viruses have been defined.
Six orders have been established to date by the ICTV: the Caudovirales,
Herpesvirales, Mononegavirales, Nidovirales, Picornavirales, and Tymovirales. These
orders span viruses with varying host ranges.
Caudovirales are tailed dsDNA (group I) bacteriophages.
Herpesvirales contain large eukaryotic dsDNA viruses.
Mononegavirales include nonsegmented (-) strand ssRNA (Group V) plant and animal
viruses.
Nidovirales are composed of (+) strand ssRNA (Group IV) viruses with vertebrate hosts.
Picornavirales contains small (+) strand ssRNA viruses that infect a variety of plant,
insect and animal hosts.
Tymovirales contain monopartite (+) ssRNA viruses that infect plants.
Other variations occur between the orders: Nidovirales, for example, are isolated for their
differentiation in expressing structural and nonstructural proteins separately.

• Statutory basis for the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses

(ICTV)
The Statutes define the objectives of the ICTV, they are:
• To develop an internationally agreed taxonomy for viruses
• To develop internationally agreed names for virus taxa, including
species and subviral agents.
• To communicate taxonomic decisions to the international
community of virologists.
• To maintain an Index of virus names.
• To maintain an ICTV database on the Internet, that records the data that
characterize each named viral taxon, together with the common names of each
taxon in all major languages
The Statutes also state that classification and nomenclature will be subject to Rules set
out in an International code.
Ratified changes will be published in Virology Division News in Archives of
Virology, and in subsequent ICTV Reports.
• Principles of Nomenclature:
The essential principles of virus nomenclature are:-
• To aim for stability.
• To avoid or reject the use of names which might cause error or
confusion.
• To avoid the unnecessary creation of names.
The ICTV's universal virus classification system uses a slightly modified version of the
standard biological classification system. It only recognises the taxa order, family,
subfamily, genus, and species. When it is uncertain how to classify a species into a genus
but its classification in a family is clear, it will be classified as an unassigned species of
that family. Many taxa remain unranked.
The ICTV has been strikingly successful in achieving stability, since their inception in
1962. Every genus and family recognized in the 1980s continued to be in use as of 2011.

• Rules of Classification and Nomenclature:

• Virus classification and nomenclature shall be international and shall be
universally applied to all viruses.
• The universal virus classification system shall employ the
hierarchical levels of Order, Family, Subfamily, Genus, and species.
• It is not obligatory to use all levels of the taxonomic hierarchy.
• The primary classification is of viruses into species. Most species
are classified into genera and most genera are classified into families.
• Species not assigned to a genus will be "unassigned" in a family
• Genera not classified in families have the status of "unassigned"
(sometimes referred to as "floating").
• Some families are classified together into Orders, but for many, the
family is the highest level taxon in use. Also, families are not necessarily divided
into subfamilies. This taxon is to be used only when it is needed to solve a
complex hierarchical problem

• Scope of the classification:

• The ICTV is not responsible for classification and nomenclature of virus taxa
below the rank of species.
• Deciding the names of serotypes, genotypes, strains, variants or
isolates of virus species is not the responsibility of the ICTV.
• When a particular virus isolate is designated to represent a species,
the decision as to which name will be adopted for the species for formal
taxonomic purposes will be the responsibility of the ICTV, usually based on
recommendations of a particular Study Group working on behalf of the ICTV.
• Artificially created viruses and laboratory hybrid viruses will not
be given taxonomic consideration. Their classification will be the responsibility of
acknowledged international specialist groups.

• Limitations:
• Taxa will be established only when representative member viruses are sufficiently
well characterized and described in the published literature so as to allow them to
be identified unambiguously and the taxon to be distinguished from other similar
taxa.
• When it is uncertain how to classify a species into a genus but its
classification in a family is clear, it will be classified as an unassigned species of
that family.
 • Names will only be accepted if they are linked to taxa at the
hierarchical levels which have been approved by the ICTV.

• Rules about naming Taxa

Names proposed for taxa are "valid names" if they conform to the Rules set out in the
Code and they pertain to established taxa. Valid names are "accepted names" if they
are recorded as approved International Names in the 8th ICTV Report or have
subsequently become "accepted names" by an ICTV vote of approval for a taxonomic
proposal.
• Existing names of taxa and viruses shall be retained whenever feasible.
• The rule of priority in naming taxa and viruses shall not
be observed.
• No person's name shall be used when devising names for new
taxa.
• Names for taxa shall be easy to use and easy to remember.
Euphonious names are preferred.
• Subscripts, superscripts, hyphens, oblique bars and Greek letters
may not be used in devising new names.
• New names shall not duplicate approved names. New names shall be chosen such
that they are not closely similar to names that are in use currently or have been in
use in the recent past.
Decision making:
In the event of more than one candidate name being proposed, the relevant Subcommittee
will make a recommendation to the Executive Committee of the ICTV, which will then
decide among the candidates as to which to recommend to ICTV for acceptance.
If no suitable name is proposed for a taxon, the taxon may be approved and the name will
be left undecided until the adoption of an acceptable international name when one is
proposed to and accepted by ICTV.( For example, Soybean chlorotic mottle virus is the
type species in an as yet un-named genus in the family Caulimoviridae. Until the genus is
named, it is designated as "soybean chlorotic mottle-like viruses". This designation is
regarded as temporary)
New names shall be chosen with due regard to national and/or local sensitivities.
When names are universally used by virologists in published work, these or
derivatives shall be the preferred basis for creating names, irrespective of national
origin.
Procedures for naming taxa
Proposals for new names, name changes, establishment of taxa and taxonomic placement
of taxa shall be submitted to the Executive Committee of the ICTV in the form of
taxonomic proposals. All relevant ICTV subcommittees and study groups will be
consulted prior to a decision being taken.
 • Rules about Species:
A virus species is defined as a polythetic class of viruses that constitutes a replicating
lineage and occupies a particular ecological niche.
Species names normally comprise more than one word. The styles used when virus
names are devised differ according to the traditions of the particular fields of
virology. For example, plant virus names are usually constructed as host + symptom
+ "virus" (e.g. tobacco necrosis virus) whereas, in contrast, viruses in the family
Bunyaviridae are usually named after the location at which the virus was found +
"virus" (e.g. Bunyamwera virus.
Species names should be distinctive. They should not be in a form that could be easily
confused with the names of other taxa.
Numbers, letters, or combinations thereof may be used as species epithets where such
numbers and letters are already widely used. However, newly designated serial
numbers, letters or combinations thereof are not acceptable alone as species epithets.
(The existence of species names such as Bovine adenovirus A, Bovine adenovirus B,
and so on, and Human herpesvirus 1, Human herpesvirus 2, Human herpesvirus 3,
and so on justify the use of the next number in the series. A name such as “22” or
“A7” is not acceptable)
Rules about Genera:
A genus is a group of species sharing certain common character.
A genus name shall be a single word ending in ...virus.
Approval of a new genus must be accompanied by the approval of a type species.
Rules about Subfamilies:
A subfamily is a group of genera sharing certain common characters. The taxon shall be
used only when it is needed to solve a complex hierarchical problem.
A subfamily name shall be a single word ending in ...virinae.
Rules about Families:
A family is a group of genera (whether or not these are organized into subfamilies)
sharing certain common characters. A family name shall be a single word ending in
...viridae.
Rules about Orders:
An order is a group of families sharing certain common characters. An order name shall
be a single word ending in ...virales.
Rules about Sub-viral Agents: RETROTRANSPOSONS, SATELLITES, VIROIDS,
AND PRIONS:
The following agents are smaller than viruses but have some of their properties.
Retrotransposons are considered to be viruses in classification and nomenclature.
Viroids and Satellites :

Viroids are novel agents of disease in plants; their infectious material consists of a single
circular ssRNA molecule with no protein component. Viroids, with genomes ranging in
size from 246 to 400 nucleotides, are the smallest self-replicating pathogens known. Up
to 70% of the nucleotides in the genome RNAs are base-paired, and when genomes are
examined in the electron microscope they appear as rod-shaped or dumb-bell-shaped
molecules, similar to the genome of HDV.
Nucleotide sequence analysis of viroid RNA has shown that no proteins are encoded by
either the genome or antigenome sense RNA. It is thought that the diseases associated
with viroids result from the RNA interfering with essential host cell mechanisms.

Fig: Diagram of the circular singlestranded 359- nucleotide RNA of potato spindle tuber viroid, showing the
maximized basepaired structure.
Rules concerned with the classification of viruses shall also apply to the classification of
viroid. The formal endings for taxa of viroids are the word "viroid" for species, the suffix
"-viroid" for genera, the suffix "-viroinae" for sub-families (should this taxon be needed)
and "-viroidae" for families. For example, the species Potato spindle tuber viroid is
classified in genus Pospiviroid, and the family Pospiviroidae.
Viroids
• Family Avsunviroidae
• Genus Avsunviroid; type species: Avocado sunblotch viroid
• Genus Pelamoviroid; type species: Peach latent mosaic
viroid
• Genus Elaviroid; type species: Eggplant latent viroid'
• Family Pospiviroidae
• Genus Pospiviroid; type species: Potato spindle tuber viroid
• Genus Hostuviroid; type species: Hop stunt viroid
• Genus Cocadviroid; type species: Coconut cadang-cadang
viroid
• Genus Apscaviroid; type species: Apple scar skin viroid
• Genus Coleviroid; type species: Coleus blumei viroid 1
Satellites and viroids have features which differentiate them from the better understood
“conventional” viruses. However, they have features which are common to several
viruses and they are often referred to as subviral agents. The similarities with
conventional viruses have permitted a preliminary classification of viroids into families
and genera.

Satellites are categorized by two forms, satellite viruses and satellite nucleic acid.
Neither satellite viruses nor satellite nucleic acids encode the enzymes required for their
replication and require coinfection with a conventional, helper, virus to provide the
replicative enzymes.

Satellite viruses encode the structural protein that encapsidate them but the satellite
nucleic acids either encode only nonstructural proteins or no proteins at all. The
satellite nucleic acids derive their structural proteins from the coinfecting helper virus.
Their nucleic acids have substantially distinct nucleotide sequences from either their
helper virus or host. When a satellite subviral agent encodes the coat protein in which it is
encapsulated, it is then called a satellite virus.
• Satellite viruses
• Single-stranded RNA satellite viruses
• Subgroup 1: Chronic bee-paralysis satellite virus
• Subgroup 2: Tobacco necrosis satellite virus
• Satellite nucleic acids
• Single-stranded satellite DNAs
• Double-stranded satellite RNAs
• Single-stranded satellite RNAs
• Subgroup 1: Large satellite RNAs
• Subgroup 2: Small linear satellite RNAs
• Subgroup 3: Circular satellite RNAs (virusoids)

Prions
Prions were initially identified as the agents of a number of diseases characterized by
slow progressive neurological degeneration which was fatal. The diseases are associated
with a spongy appearance of the brain. Together the diseases are termed spongiform
encephalopathies and include scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE;
“mad cow” disease) in cattle, and the human infections of kuru and variant Creutzfeldt–
Jakob disease. Prions have also be identified in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevissiae and
the fungus Podospora anserina. Prions were initially thought to be viruses which
replicated slowly within their hosts, but despite much work no nucleic acid has yet been
found in association
with infectious material. Analysis of prions has shown that they are aberrant forms of
normal cellular proteins which can induce changes in the shape of their normal homologs
with catastrophic consequences for the host.
Prions, named for their description as "proteinaceous and infectious particles", lack any
detectable (as of 2002) nucleic acids or virus-like particles. They resist inactivation
procedures that normally affect nucleic acids.
• Mammalian prions:
• Agents of spongiform encephalopathies
• Fungal prions:
• PSI+ prion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• URE3 prion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
 • RNQ/PIN+ prion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• Het-s prion of Podospora anserina
Satellites and prions are not classified as viruses but are assigned an arbitrary
classification as seems useful to workers in the particular field.
Rules for Orthography:
• In formal taxonomic usage, the accepted names of virus Orders, Families,
Subfamilies, and Genera are printed in italics and the first letters of the names are
capitalized.
• Species names are printed in italics and have the first letter of the
first word capitalized. Other words are not capitalized unless they are proper
nouns, or parts of proper nouns.
• In formal usage, the name of the taxon shall precede the term for the taxonomic
unit.
• Taxa are abstractions and thus when their names are used formally, these are
written distinctively using italicization and capitalization. In other senses, such as
an adjectival form (e.g. the tobacco mosaic virus polymerase) italics and capital
initial letters are not needed. Equally, these are not needed when referring to
physical entities such as virions (e, g. a preparation or a micrograph of tobacco
mosaic virus)
ICTVdb Database
ICTVdb is a species and isolate database that has been intended to serve as a companion
to the ICTV taxonomy database. The development of ICTVdB has been supported by the
ICTV since 1991 and was initially intended to aid taxonomic research.
The database classifies viruses based primarily on their:
• Chemical characteristics
• Genomic type
• Nucleic acid replication
• Diseases
• Vectors.
• Geographical distribution.
The database was developed at the Australian National University with support of the US
National Science Foundation, and sponsored by the American Type Culture Collection. It
uses the Description Language for Taxonomy (DELTA) system, a world standard for
taxonomic data exchange, developed at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). DELTA is able to store a wide diversity of
data and translate it into a language suitable for traditional reports and web publication.
For example, ICTVdB does not itself contain genomic sequence information but can
convert DELTA data into NEXUS format.[4] It can also handle large data inputs and is
suited to compiling long lists of virus properties, text comments, and images.
ICTVdB has grown in concept and capability to become a major reference resource and
research tool, in 1999 it was receiving over 30,000 combined online hits per day from its
main site at the Australian National University, and two mirror sites based in the UK and
USA.
In 2011, the ICTV decided to suspend the ICTVdb project and web site. This decision
was made after it became apparent that the taxonomy provided on the site was many
years out of date, and that some of the information on the site was inaccurate due to
problems with how the database was being queried and processed to support the natural
language output of the ICTVdb web site. The ICTV has begun discussions on how best to
fix these problems, but decided that the time frame for updates and error correction were
sufficiently long that it was best to take the site down rather than perpetuate the release of
inaccurate information.