Archaeal virus with exceptional virion architecture and the largest single-stranded DNA genome

Known viruses build their particles using a restricted number of redundant structural solutions. Here, we describe the Aeropyrum coil-shaped virus (ACV), of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Aeropyrum pernix , with a virion architecture not previously observed in the viral world. The nonenveloped, hollow, cylindrical virion is formed from a coiling fiber, which consists of two intertwining halves of a single circular nucleoprotein. The virus ACV is also exceptional for its genomic properties. It is the only virus with a single-stranded (ss) DNA genome among the known hyperthermophilic archaeal viruses. Moreover, the size of its circular genome, 24,893 nt, is double that of the largest known ssDNA genome, suggesting an efficient solution for keeping ssDNA intact at 90–95 °C, the optimal temperature range of A. pernix growth. The genome content of ACV is in line with its unique morphology and confirms that ACV is not closely related to any known virus.