Papovavirus

Papovavirus is a former taxonomic group of viruses, now split into the families Papillomaviridae, Polyomaviridae, and Simian virus 40. The name 'Papovavirus' is derived from the first two letters of each of the viruses that were initially in this group: Papillomavirus, Polyomavirus, and Vacuolating virus.

History

The term 'Papovavirus' was first used in the 1960s when the viruses were grouped based on their similar characteristics. These included small, non-enveloped viruses with circular, double-stranded DNA genomes. However, as more was learned about these viruses, it became clear that they had significant differences, leading to the split into separate families.

Characteristics

Papovaviruses are small, with a diameter of approximately 45-55 nanometers. They are non-enveloped, meaning they do not have a lipid bilayer membrane. The genome of these viruses is circular, double-stranded DNA.

Diseases

Papovaviruses are associated with a variety of diseases in humans and animals. For example, Human papillomavirus (HPV), a member of the Papillomaviridae family, is associated with cervical cancer and other types of cancer. Polyomaviruses, on the other hand, can cause diseases such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in humans.

Classification

The former Papovavirus group is now split into three families:

• Papillomaviridae: This family includes the human papillomaviruses, which can cause warts and are associated with various types of cancer.
• Polyomaviridae: This family includes the JC virus and BK virus, which can cause diseases in humans, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.
• Simian virus 40: This is a virus that was discovered in monkey kidney cells. It has been used extensively in research.

See also

• Virus classification
• DNA virus
• Oncovirus