Lyssaviruses

Classification of Rhabdoviridae 1 / 8

Order   Family   Genus   Type species * Mononegavirales Rhabdoviridae Vesiculovirus Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus Lyssavirus Rabies virus Ephemerovis Bovine ephemeral fever virus Novirhabdovirus Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus Cytorhabdovirus Lettuce necrotic yellows virus Nucleorhabdovirus Potato yellow dwarf virus * The type species is not necessarily the best characterized or most representative species in a genus; rather, it is usually the virus that initially necessitated the creation of the genus and therefore best defines or identifies the genus.

Classification of Rhabdoviridae   Genus Lyssavirus Reservoir   Virion structure

Lyssaviruses (from Lyssa, the Greek goddess of madness, rage, and frenzy) belong to the Rhabdoviridae family, in the order Mononegavirales. The pictures below illustrate the classification of the lyssaviruses and their reservoirs. There are currently 16 recognised species in the lyssavirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae. These species are comprised of the following viruses: rabies virus (RABV), Lagos bat virus (LBV), Mokola virus (MOKV), Duvenhage virus (DUVV), European bat lyssavirus 1 (EBLV-1), European bat lyssavirus 2 (EBLV-2), Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV), Aravan virus (ARAV), Khujand virus (KHUV), Irkut virus (IRKV), West Caucasian bat virus (WCBV) Shimoni bat virus (SHIBV), Ikoma virus (IKOV), and Bokeloh bat lyssavirus (BBLV), Lleida lyssavirus (LLEBV).

Lyssaviruses are enveloped, bullet-shaped viruses, approximately 180 nm long and 75 nm wide (see structure). The virus envelope is derived from the host cell membrane during virus assembly by budding. It contains 300 to 400 knob-like spikes composed of a single species of viral glycoprotein (G protein). The genome of lyssaviruses is a single-stranded, nonsegmented RNA of negative polarity. It lacks 5' caps and 3' poly A, consistent with its inability to function of mRNA. It is encapsidated by several copies of a single major nucleoprotein (N protein). Together the genomic RNA and the N proteins form a ribonucleoprotein core (RNP). The RNP is maintained in a tightly coiled helice through association with the matrix (M) protein. The RNP also contains several copies of the phosphoprotein (P protein) and of the large polymerase protein (L protein), which are responsible for the virion-associated RNA polymerase activity. P protein is responsible for binding L protein to RNP, and L protein is likely responsible for all the enzymatic activities associated with RNA synthesis. The five viral proteins (N, P, M, G, L) are encoded by the genomic RNA.