Dicistroviridae

Dicistroviridae is a family of viruses in the order Picornavirales. Invertebrates, including aphids, leafhoppers, flies, bees, ants, and silkworms, serve as natural hosts. There are 15 species in this family, assigned to three genera. Diseases associated with this family include: DCV: increased reproductive potential. extremely pathogenic when injected with high associated mortality. CrPV: paralysis and death.

Taxonomy
Although many dicistroviruses were initially placed in the Picornaviridae, they have since been reclassified into their own family. The name (Dicistro) is derived from the characteristic dicistronic arrangement of the genome.

This family is a member of the Order Picornavirales (along with the families Iflaviridae, Picornaviridae, and Secoviridae and Marnaviridae). Within this order, the gene order is the gene order of the nonstructural proteins Hel(helicase)-Pro(protease)-RdRp(polymerase). The Dicistroviridae can be distinguished from the members of the taxa by the location of their structural protein genes at the 3' end rather than the 5' end (as found in Iflavirus, Picornaviridae and Secoviridae) and by having two genomic segments rather than a single one (as in the Comovirus).

The family contains the following genera and species:

Genus: Aparavirus Genus: Cripavirus Genus: Triatovirus
 * Acute bee paralysis virus
 * Israeli acute paralysis virus
 * Kashmir bee virus
 * Mud crab virus
 * Solenopsis invicta virus 1
 * Taura syndrome virus
 * Aphid lethal paralysis virus
 * Cricket paralysis virus
 * Drosophila C virus
 * Rhopalosiphum padi virus
 * Black queen cell virus
 * Himetobi P virus
 * Homalodisca coagulata virus-1
 * Plautia stali intestine virus
 * Triatoma virus

Linepithema humile virus 1 is possibly a member of Dicistroviridae, of unclear placement.

Structure
Viruses in Dicistroviridae are non-enveloped, with icosahedral geometries, and T=pseudo3 symmetry. The diameter is around 30 nm. Genomes are linear and non-segmented, around 8.5-10.2kb in length. The genome has 2 open reading frames.

Life cycle
Entry into the host cell is achieved by penetration into the host cell. Replication follows the positive stranded RNA virus replication model. Positive stranded RNA virus transcription is the method of transcription. Translation takes place by viral initiation, and ribosomal skipping. Invertebrates serve as the natural host. Transmission routes are contamination.

RNA structural elements
Many of the Dicistroviridae genomes contains structured RNA elements. For example, the Cripaviruses have an internal ribosome entry site, which mimics a Met-tRNA and is used in the initiation of translation.