ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Coronaviridae 2023

Abstract

The family Coronaviridae includes viruses with positive-sense RNA genomes of 22-36 kb that are expressed through a nested set of 3' co-terminal subgenomic mRNAs. Members of the subfamily Orthocoronavirinae are characterized by 80-160 nm diameter, enveloped virions with spike projections. The orthocoronaviruses, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus are extremely pathogenic for humans and in the last two decades have been responsible for the SARS and MERS epidemics. Another orthocoronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, was responsible for the recent global COVID-19 pandemic. This is a summary of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the family Coronaviridae which is available at www.ictv.global/report/coronaviridae.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronaviridae; ICTV Report; Letovirinae; Orthocoronavirinae; Pitovirinae; coronavirus; taxonomy.

Fig. 1.

Structure of murine hepatitis virus A59 particles. (a) Cryoelectron tomograph of virus particles in water ice (courtesy of Ben Neuman). Virions are around 85 nm in diameter. (b) Schematic illustration of a particle of mouse hepatitis virus.

Fig. 2.

Genomic organization of murine hepatitis virus A59 (AY700211). Coloured ORFs are 1a, 1b, the proximal and distal regions of the replicase protein; S, spike protein; N, nucleocapsid; E, envelope glycoprotein; M, membrane glycoprotein; HE, haemagglutinin-esterase protein. ORFs in grey encode accessory proteins.