{{Short description|Genus of viruses}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}} {{Virusbox | image = MpV-SP1.png |image_caption = Negative stained image of MpV-SP1 | taxon = Prasinovirus }}

'''''Prasinovirus''''' is a genus of large double-stranded DNA viruses, in the family ''Phycodnaviridae'' that infect phytoplankton in the ''Prasinophyceae''. The genus contains two species,<ref name=ViralZone>{{cite web|title=Viral Zone|url=http://viralzone.expasy.org/all_by_species/591.html|publisher=ExPASy|accessdate=15 June 2015}}</ref><ref name=ICTV>{{cite web|title=Virus Taxonomy: 2024 Release|url=https://ictv.global/taxonomy|publisher=International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses|access-date=23 March 2025}}</ref> including Micromonas pusilla virus SP1, which infects the cosmopolitan photosynthetic flagellate ''Micromonas pusilla''.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cottrell|first1=Matthew T.|last2=Suttle|first2=Curtis A.|date=1991|title=Wide-spread occurrence and clonal variation in viruses which cause lysis of a cosmopolitan, eukaryotic marine phytoplankter, "Micromonas pusilla"|journal=Marine Ecology Progress Series |volume=78 |pages=1–9 |issn=1616-1599|doi=10.3354/meps078001|bibcode=1991MEPS...78....1C|doi-access=free}}</ref> <!--thumb|Negative stained image of MpV-SP1-->

There is a large group of genetically diverse but related viruses that show considerable evidence of lateral gene transfer.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bellec|first1=Laure|last2=Grimsley |first2=Nigel|last3=Derelle |first3=Evelyn|last4=Moreau |first4=Herve|last5=Desdevises |first5=Yves|date=2010|title=Abundance, spatial distribution and genetic diversity of Ostreococcus tauri viruses in two different environments |journal=Environmental Microbiology Reports |volume=2 |issue=2|pages=313–321 |doi=10.1111/j.1758-2229.2010.00138.x |pmid=23766083}}</ref><ref name="Finke 2017">{{Cite journal|last1=Finke |first1=Jan F |last2=Winget |first2=Danielle M |last3=Chan |first3=Amy M|last4=Suttle |first4=Curtis A |date=2017 |title=Variation in the genetic repertoire of viruses Infecting ''Micromonas pusilla'' reflects horizontal gene transfer and links to their environmental distribution |journal=Viruses |volume=9 |issue=5 |pages=116 |doi=10.3390/v9050116 |pmid=28534829 |pmc=5454428 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

==Taxonomy== thumb|Venn diagram of shared coding sequences (CDS) of four MpVs and M. pusilla UTEX LB991, based on clusters by 0.5 amino acid identity. Dashed circles represent host genes shared with viruses <ref name="Finke 2017" />.

The genus contains the following species, listed by scientific name and followed by the exemplar virus of the species:<ref name=ICTV />

* ''Prasinovirus micromonas'', Micromonas pusilla virus SP1 * ''Prasinovirus ostreotauri'', Ostreococcus tauri virus OtV5

==Structure== right|thumb|upright=1.66|Schematic drawing of a typical ''Phycodnaviridae'' virion (cross section and side view) Viruses in ''Prasinovirus'' are enveloped, with icosahedral and round geometries, and T=169 symmetry. The diameter is around 104-118&nbsp;nm.<ref name=ViralZone />

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Genus !! Structure || Symmetry !! Capsid !! Genomic arrangement !! Genomic segmentation |- |''Prasinovirus''||Icosahedral||T=169||Enveloped||Linear||Monopartite |}

==Life cycle== Viral replication is nucleo-cytoplasmic. Replication follows the DNA strand displacement model. DNA templated transcription is the method of transcription. The virus exits the host cell by lysis via lytic phospholipids. Alga serve as the natural host. Transmission routes are passive diffusion.<ref name=ViralZone />

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Genus !! Host details !! Tissue tropism !! Entry details !! Release details !! Replication site !! Assembly site !! Transmission |- |''Prasinovirus''||Alga||None||Cell receptor endocytosis||Lysis||Nucleus||Cytoplasm||Passive diffusion |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://viralzone.expasy.org/all_by_species/591.html '''Viralzone''': Prasinovirus] * [http://ictvonline.org/virusTaxonomy.asp '''ICTV'''] {{Baltimore classification}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q18822149}}

Category:Phycodnaviridae Category:Virus genera