Viruses in the genus Chlorovirus are enveloped, with icosahedral and spherical geometries, and T=169 (triangulation number) symmetry. The diameter is around 100-220 nm. Genomes are linear, usually single-copy, composed of dsDNA (double-stranded DNA), and around 330 kb in length. The dsDNA is closed with a hairpin structure terminus. Genomes also often have several hundred open reading frames. As a group, chloroviruses encode from 632 protein families; however, each individual virus only has 330 to 416 protein encoding genes. As part of the DNA modification systems, chloroviruses have methylated bases in specific sections of their DNA sequence. Some chloroviruses also contain introns and inteins, though this is rare within the genus.
