Merbecovirus

Merbecovirus is a subgenus of viruses in the genus Betacoronavirus, including the human pathogen Middle East respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus (MERS-CoV).^[1] The viruses in this subgenus were previously known as group 2c coronaviruses.^[2][3]

Merbecovirus
MERS-CoV: structure, attachment, viral entry, and genomic composition
Virus classification
(unranked):	Virus
Realm:	Riboviria
Kingdom:	Orthornavirae
Phylum:	Pisuviricota
Class:	Pisoniviricetes
Order:	Nidovirales
Family:	Coronaviridae
Genus:	Betacoronavirus
Subgenus:	Merbecovirus

Taxonomy

The subgenus contains the following species, listed by scientific name and followed by the exemplar virus of the species:^[4][5]

• Betacoronavirus cameli, Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
• Betacoronavirus erinacei, Hedgehog coronavirus 1
• Betacoronavirus pipistrelli, Pipistrellus bat coronavirus HKU5
• Betacoronavirus tylonycteridis, Tylonycteris bat coronavirus HKU4

Structure

The viruses of this subgenus, like other coronaviruses, have a lipid bilayer envelope in which the membrane (M), envelope (E) and spike (S) structural proteins are anchored.^[6][7]

See also

• Embecovirus (group 2a)
• Sarbecovirus (group 2b)
• Nobecovirus (group 2d)