Among the aquatic viruses, only the genome of IcHV-1 has
been completely sequenced. Because this viral genome is phylogenetically
distant from the ‘‘classical’’ a, b and c mammalian
and avian herpes viruses, it was suggested to include
IcHV-1 in a separate group designated ‘‘Alloherpesviridae’’
[24]. Because IcHV-1 is similar to the other aquatic herpes like
viruses [9], it can be expected that all these viruses would be
grouped together. However, here we demonstrated that
IcHV-1 does not encode the pox-like genes of CyHV-3: TmpK,
RNR and B22R-like gene, while its TK protein is distinguished
from its counterpart in CyHV-3, suggesting that the phylogenic
distance between IcHV-1 and CyHV-3 is sufficient to
warrant inclusion in a separate group.
Recently, Rijsewijk and his co-workers demonstrated that
CyHV-3 and AngHV-1 are closely related according to their
DNA polymerase protein sequences. Although the amino acid
sequences of these two viruses are similar to those of RaHV-1