''Fletchervirus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

virus A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living Cell (biology), cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Viruses are ...

of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

'' Connertonviridae''. This

contains 13

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

. Viruses in the genus infect bacteria of the genus ''

Campylobacter ''Campylobacter'' is a type of bacteria that can cause a diarrheal disease in people. Its name means "curved bacteria", as the germ typically appears in a comma or "s" shape. According to its scientific classification, it is a genus of gram-negat ...

''. ''Fletchervirus'' like most bacterial viruses (

bacteriophage A bacteriophage (), also known informally as a phage (), is a virus that infects and replicates within bacteria. The term is derived . Bacteriophages are composed of proteins that Capsid, encapsulate a DNA or RNA genome, and may have structu ...

s) are harmless to humans and thus have no

antiviral drug Antiviral drugs are a class of medication used for treating viral infections. Most antivirals target specific viruses, while a broad-spectrum antiviral is effective against a wide range of viruses. Antiviral drugs are a class of antimicrobials ...

s associated with them. They can be found worldwide and just like most bacteriophage species are found in almost all

ecological Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere levels. Ecology overlaps with the closely re ...

environments including humans.

Comparative morphology

''Fletchervirus'' differs from its sibling ('' Firehammervirus'') genus morphologically. Members of the genus have heads with a larger diameter and tails that are far shorter. For example, the species '' Fletchervirus CP81'' in the ''Fletchervirus'' genus has a head with 96 nm diameter, and a 97 nm long tail, whereas ''Campylobacter'' virus CP220 in the ''Firehammervirus'' genus has a head with a 93 nm diameter and a 140 nm long tail.

Genetically Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinian friar workin ...

, members of Fletchervirus have a smaller

genome A genome is all the genetic information of an organism. It consists of nucleotide sequences of DNA (or RNA in RNA viruses). The nuclear genome includes protein-coding genes and non-coding genes, other functional regions of the genome such as ...

that codes for less

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...

s, they

dsDNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...

is also permuted circularly. Whereas, members of '' Firehammervirus'' have a larger genome with more proteins and a liner permuted dsDNA complex. For example, '' Fletchervirus CP81'' has a genome of 132 kb that codes for 149 proteins versus ''Campylobacter'' virus CP220 that has a genome 197 kb that codes for 257 proteins.

Host and phage therapy

'' is a enus of Gram-negative bacteria. It is found mostly in raw meats, and if consumed can be a terrible pathogen">Gram-negative_bacteria.html" ;"title="enus of Gram-negative bacteria">enus of Gram-negative bacteria. It is found mostly in raw meats, and if consumed can be a terrible pathogen for humans often causing diarrhea, cramps, fever and pain. Phage therapy">Bacteriophage therapy Phage therapy, viral phage therapy, or phagotherapy is the therapeutic use of bacteriophages for the treatment of pathogenic bacterial infections. This therapeutic approach emerged at the beginning of the 20th century but was progressively r ...

Comparative morphology

Host and phage therapy

Taxonomy

References