Deltacoronavirus (Delta-CoV) is one of the four genera (Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma-, and Delta-) of coronaviruses. It is in the subfamily Orthocoronavirinae of the family Coronaviridae. They are enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses. Deltacoronaviruses infect mostly birds and some mammals.
While the alpha and beta genera are derived from the bat viral gene pool, the gamma and delta genera are derived from the avian and pig viral gene pools.
Recombination appears to be common among deltacoronaviruses.Lau SKP, Wong EYM, Tsang CC, Ahmed SS, Au-Yeung RKH, Yuen KY, Wernery U, Woo PCY. Discovery and Sequence Analysis of Four Deltacoronaviruses from Birds in the Middle East Reveal Interspecies Jumping with Recombination as a Potential Mechanism for Avian-to-Avian and Avian-to-Mammalian Transmission. J Virol. 2018 Jul 17;92(15):e00265-18. doi: 10.1128/JVI.00265-18. Print 2018 Aug 1. PMID 29769348 Recombination occurs frequently in the viral genome region that encodes the host receptor binding protein. Recombination between different viral lineages contributes to the emergence of new viruses capable of interspecies transmission and adaptation to new animal hosts.
Taxonomy The genus contains the following subgenera and species:
Subgenus: Andecovirus Deltacoronavirus marecae, Wigeon coronavirus HKU20 Subgenus: Buldecovirus Deltacoronavirus gallinulae, Common moorhen coronavirus HKU21 Deltacoronavirus lonchurae, Munia coronavirus HKU13 Deltacoronavirus pycnonoti, Bulbul coronavirus HKU11 Deltacoronavirus suis, Porcine coronavirus HKU15 Deltacoronavirus zosteropis, White-eye coronavirus HKU16 Subgenus: Herdecovirus Deltacoronavirus nycticoracis, Night heron coronavirus HKU19
See also RNA virus Sense (molecular biology) Veterinary virology
References
External links Viralzone: Deltacoronavirus Virus Pathogen Database and Analysis Resource (ViPR): Coronaviridae