''Betacoronavirus 1'' is a species of

coronavirus Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses in humans include some cases of the co ...

which infects humans and cattle. The infecting virus is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded

RNA virus An RNA virus is a virusother than a retrovirusthat has ribonucleic acid ( RNA) as its genetic material. The nucleic acid is usually single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) but it may be double-stranded (dsRNA). Notable human diseases caused by RNA virus ...

and is a member of the genus ''

Betacoronavirus ''Betacoronavirus'' (β-CoVs or Beta-CoVs) is one of four genera (''Alpha''-, ''Beta-'', '' Gamma-'', and '' Delta-'') of coronaviruses. Member viruses are enveloped, positive-strand RNA viruses that infect mammals (of which humans are part). ...

'' and subgenus ''

Embecovirus ''Embecovirus'' is a subgenus of coronaviruses in the genus ''Betacoronavirus''. The viruses in this subgenus, unlike other coronaviruses, have a hemagglutinin esterase (HE) gene. The viruses in the subgenus were previously known as group 2a coro ...

.'' Like other embecoviruses, it has an additional shorter spike-like surface protein called

hemagglutinin esterase Hemagglutinin esterase (HEs) is a glycoprotein that certain enveloped viruses possess and use as an invading mechanism. HEs helps in the attachment and destruction of certain sialic acid receptors that are found on the host cell surface. V ...

(HE) as well as the larger

coronavirus spike protein Spike (S) glycoprotein (sometimes also called spike protein, formerly known as E2) is the largest of the four major structural proteins found in coronaviruses. The spike protein assembles into trimers that form large structures, called spi ...

References

Betacoronaviruses {{Veterinary-med-stub