Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...
Retroviruses02:33

Retroviruses

Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
What are Viruses?00:50

What are Viruses?

Overview
Viruses of Archaea01:29

Viruses of Archaea

Archaeal viruses play a crucial role in the ecosystems of extremophilic archaea, particularly those belonging to the phyla Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota. By shaping host evolution and facilitating gene transfer, these viruses influence microbial communities and contribute to genetic diversity in extreme environments. The archaea they infect thrive in acidic hot springs and hydrothermal vents characterized by high temperatures and low pH. Archaeal viruses exhibit remarkable structural...
Introduction to Virus01:28

Introduction to Virus

Viruses are unique biological entities that blur the boundary between living and non-living systems. Although they lack cellular structure and metabolic processes, they can exhibit characteristics of life when infecting a host. Their defining feature is a nucleic acid core, composed of either DNA or RNA, encapsulated within a protein coat called a capsid. This simple structure allows them to invade host cells and use their machinery for replication efficiently.Viral Structure and...
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes01:26

Size and Structure of Viral Genomes

Viral genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in size, structure, and composition, influencing their replication strategies and interactions with host cells. These genomes consist of either DNA or RNA and may be linear or circular. Additionally, they can be single-stranded or double-stranded, with each configuration affecting how the virus propagates within a host. RNA viruses, for instance, generally have smaller genomes than DNA viruses, a factor that contributes to their high mutation rates and...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Metatranscriptomics as a tool to identify fungal species and subspecies in mixed communities - a proof of concept under laboratory conditions.

IMA fungus·2020
Same author

Correction: Bat IFITM3 restriction depends on S-palmitoylation and a polymorphic site within the CD225 domain.

Life science alliance·2020
Same author

CCMetagen: comprehensive and accurate identification of eukaryotes and prokaryotes in metagenomic data.

Genome biology·2020
Same author

Author Correction: A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China.

Nature·2020
Same author

Newly identified viral genomes in pangolins with fatal disease.

Virus evolution·2020
Same author

An emergent clade of SARS-CoV-2 linked to returned travellers from Iran.

Virus evolution·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Combining Analysis of DNA in a Crude Virion Extraction with the Analysis of RNA from Infected Leaves to Discover New Virus Genomes
08:56

Combining Analysis of DNA in a Crude Virion Extraction with the Analysis of RNA from Infected Leaves to Discover New Virus Genomes

Published on: July 27, 2018

What does virus evolution tell us about virus origins?

Edward C Holmes1

  • 1Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, Mueller Laboratory, University Park,Pennsylvania 16802, USA. ech15@psu.edu

Journal of Virology
|April 1, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Investigating the origins of viruses reveals growing evidence supporting their ancient emergence before the last universal cellular ancestor (LUCA). This theory is bolstered by conserved viral structures and genome-mutation rate relationships, suggesting early, error-prone RNA virus-like genomes.

More Related Videos

Single Cell Micro-aspiration as an Alternative Strategy to Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting for Giant Virus Mixture Separation
09:50

Single Cell Micro-aspiration as an Alternative Strategy to Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting for Giant Virus Mixture Separation

Published on: October 27, 2019

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
18:10

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency

Published on: June 16, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Combining Analysis of DNA in a Crude Virion Extraction with the Analysis of RNA from Infected Leaves to Discover New Virus Genomes
08:56

Combining Analysis of DNA in a Crude Virion Extraction with the Analysis of RNA from Infected Leaves to Discover New Virus Genomes

Published on: July 27, 2018

Single Cell Micro-aspiration as an Alternative Strategy to Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting for Giant Virus Mixture Separation
09:50

Single Cell Micro-aspiration as an Alternative Strategy to Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting for Giant Virus Mixture Separation

Published on: October 27, 2019

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
18:10

Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency

Published on: June 16, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Understanding virus evolution has advanced significantly, especially on epidemiological scales.
  • However, pinpointing the ultimate origins of viruses remains a complex challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current theories on the evolutionary origins of viruses.
  • To evaluate these theories against knowledge of contemporary virus evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing scientific literature and theories on virus origins.
  • Analysis of evidence from contemporary virus evolution, including capsid structures and genome-mutation rate relationships.
  • Assessment of phylogenetic analysis of conserved protein structures for inferring deep evolutionary history.

Main Results:

  • Growing evidence supports the theory that viruses originated before the last universal cellular ancestor (LUCA).
  • Conserved capsid architectures across diverse viruses and an inverse relationship between genome size and mutation rate support an ancient origin.
  • Pre-LUCA viral genomes were likely small and highly error-prone, similar to RNA viruses.

Conclusions:

  • The ancient origin theory for viruses is strongly supported by current data.
  • Further advances in phylogenetic analysis of conserved protein structures are needed for a comprehensive understanding of deep viral evolutionary history.