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What are Viruses?00:50

What are Viruses?

Overview
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Viruses with RNA Genomes

RNA viruses are categorized into positive-strand, negative-strand, or double-stranded groups based on their genomic structure and replication mechanisms. This classification dictates how they exploit host cellular machinery for protein synthesis and replication. Some RNA viruses also utilize reverse transcription as part of their life cycle, further diversifying their replication strategies.Positive-Strand RNA VirusesPositive-strand RNA viruses have genomes that function directly as messenger...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Single Cell Micro-aspiration as an Alternative Strategy to Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting for Giant Virus Mixture Separation
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Single Cell Micro-aspiration as an Alternative Strategy to Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting for Giant Virus Mixture Separation

Published on: October 27, 2019

Another really, really big virus.

James L Van Etten1

  • 1Department of Plant Pathology, Nebraska Center for Virology, 205 Morrison Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA.

Viruses
|October 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Giant viruses, or giruses, are increasingly discovered, infecting aquatic protists. The newly characterized virus CroV highlights their diverse genomes and lifestyles.

Keywords:
NCLDVgiruseshuge viruses

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Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Microbiology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Large viruses (giruses) with genomes >300 kb are frequently discovered.
  • These viruses primarily infect aquatic protists.
  • Metagenomic data suggest large DNA viruses are abundant in nature.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the increasing discovery of large viruses.
  • To highlight the significant diversity in morphology, lifestyle, and gene content among large viruses.
  • To introduce the newly characterized virus CroV as an example.

Main Methods:

  • Bioinformatic analyses of metagenomes.
  • Characterization of virus CroV.
  • Literature review on large viruses.

Main Results:

  • Large viruses, including CroV, possess extensive genomes (up to 1.2 Mb) encoding hundreds of proteins.
  • CroV has a 730 kb genome with ~544 protein-encoding genes.
  • CroV infects marine microzooplankton (Cafeteria roenbergensis) and causes a lytic infection.

Conclusions:

  • Large viruses exhibit significant variability despite potential family classifications.
  • The discovery of CroV underscores the unique properties and ecological roles of these giant viruses.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the diversity and impact of giruses.