Mimivirus | |
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Mimivirus with two satellite Sputnik virophages (arrows) [1] | |
Virus classification ![]() | |
(unranked): | Virus |
Realm: | Varidnaviria |
Kingdom: | Bamfordvirae |
Phylum: | Nucleocytoviricota |
Class: | Megaviricetes |
Order: | Imitervirales |
Family: | Mimiviridae |
Genus: | Mimivirus |
Species[citation needed] | |
Mimivirus is a genus of giant viruses, in the family Mimiviridae. Amoeba serve as their natural hosts.[2][3] This genus contains a single identified species named Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus (APMV). It also refers to a group of phylogenetically related large viruses.[4]
In colloquial speech, APMV is more commonly referred to as just "mimivirus". Mimivirus, short for "mimicking microbe", is so called to reflect its large size and apparent Gram-staining properties.[5]
Mimivirus has a large and complex genome compared with most other viruses. Until 2013, when a larger virus Pandoravirus was described, it had the largest capsid diameter of all known viruses.[6]