The DpAV4 genome sequenced by Genoscope (France) is 119,334-bp in length. Its organization, gene content and evolutionary characteristics will be detailed in a separate publication (manuscript in preparation; Additional file 1). However, BLAST results obtained with several ORFs in the DpAV4 genome provide evidence that certain ichnovirus ORFs have their closest relatives in an ascovirus genome. Specifically, we identified a 13-kbp region that contains a cluster of three genes ( Fig. 1 , ORF90, 91 and 93; Additional files 1 and 2) that have close homologs in a GfIV gene family composed of seven members [28] . All contain a domain similar to a conserved domain found in the pox-D5 family of NTPases. To date, this pox-D5 domain has been identified as a NTP binding domain of about 250 amino acid residues found only in viral proteins encoded by poxvirus, iridovirus, ascovirus and mimivirus genomes. These genes seem to be specific to GfIV, as they are absent in the three sequenced genomes of other ichnoviruses, namely CsIV, Tranosema rostrales ichnovirus (TrIV), and Hyposoter fugitivus ichnovirus (HfIV).