Jingchuvirales: a New Taxonomical Framework for a Rapidly Expanding Order of Unusual Monjiviricete Viruses Broadly Distributed among Arthropod Subphyla

Technical advances in metagenomics and metatranscriptomics have dramatically accelerated virus discovery in recent years. Chuviruses were first described in 2015 as obscure negative-sense RNA viruses of diverse arthropods. Although chuviruses first appeared to be members of the negamaviricot order Mononegavirales in phylogenetic analyses using RNA-directed RNA polymerase sequences, further characterization revealed unusual gene orders in genomes that are nonsegmented, segmented, and/or possibly circular. Consequently, a separate order, Jingchuvirales, was established to include a mono specific family, Chuviridae. Recently, it has become apparent that jingchuvirals are broadly distributed and are therefore likely of ecological and economic importance. Here, we describe recent and ongoing efforts to create the necessary taxonomic framework to accommodate the expected flood of novel viruses belonging to the order.

Automated summary

Recent technical advances in metagenomics and metatranscriptomics have accelerated virus discovery. Chuviruses, originally thought to be part of the Mononegavirales order, were further characterized revealing unusual gene orders. A new order, Jingchuvirales, was established to accommodate the influx of novel viruses.