These are the first viruses reported to possess genes for amino-acyl tRNA synthetases for all 20 standard amino acids.

Members of the family Mimiviridae include Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus (APMV), which is known for its large size of ~500 nm in diameter.

[7] Mimiviruses also possess fibril structures on the capsid as well as genes encoding proteins for nucleotide synthesis and various metabolisms that are not found in other viruses.

[8] Unlike the other mimiviruses in the Mimiviridae, Tupanvirus has a ~550 nm long cylindrical tail covered with fibrils attached to the base of the capsid.

[1][6] Tupanviruses are also capable of infecting a wider range of amoebae than other mimiviruses and produce a cytotoxic effect in host and non-host organisms that are not observed in APMV.

In addition, phylogenomic results revealed that the genus Tupanvirus is separate from the other viruses in the family Mimiviridae.

The shared genes of Tupanvirus with different lineages of amoeba-infecting mimiviruses indicate it as a separate genus within family Mimiviridae.

[1] For example, its A/T rich genome resembles that of other amoebal mimiviruses and suggests a preference for codons formed by A/T-rich sequences.

[1] As a result, the analysis of tupanviruses constitutes a new step towards understanding the evolution of giant viruses because such diverse and complete gene sets surpass not only that of other viral genomes but also rival that of bacteria and even eukaryotes.

Although these intronic regions also exist in other mimiviruses, the tupanvirus 18S rRNA is phylogenetically different, with their function still unknown.

[4] The tupanviral generalist approach may be attributed to the low species richness and abundance of the virus's habitat.

[11] The generalist approach, in conjunction with aggregation behaviour, decreases the dilution effect and increases host-encounter rates.

As many as half of released particles are not infectious; this phenomenon is also present when infecting host amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii.