Phylogenetic analysis reveals polyphyly in small DNA viruses of realm Monodnaviria, indicating the need for division into four distinct monophyletic realms.
Realm Monodnaviria was established for unification of viruses with small DNA genomes that encode homologous endonucleases initiating rolling circle replication or their inactivated derivatives. However, comprehensive analysis of the expanded virus sequence and structure databases revealed that neither replication nor structural modules within this realm were monophyletic. Consequently, Monodnaviria was reorganized by moving three of its four kingdoms to separate new, likely, monophyletic realms, Efunaviria , Pleomoviria, and Volvereviria , and renaming the remaining realm Monodnaviria to Floreoviria .
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Krupovìč et al. (2026) studied this question.
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