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Related Concept Videos

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...
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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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Prokaryotic Cells01:51

Prokaryotic Cells

Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains—Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common organisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.
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Prokaryotic Cells01:28

Prokaryotic Cells

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Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria01:10

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Intracellular bacteria and viruses often comprise a group of highly infectious pathogens that can cause several diseases. Bacterial pathogens include those belonging to the genus Rickettsia responsible for conditions such as rocky mountain spotted fever and the Mediterranean spotted fever; Chlamydia, a genus responsible for a sexually transmitted disease; Coxiella burnetii, an agent responsible for Q fever. Viral pathogens include vaccinia—a poxvirus, and herpes simplex virus—a virus that...

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Correlative Light Electron Microscopy (CLEM) for Tracking and Imaging Viral Protein Associated Structures in Cryo-immobilized Cells
09:18

Correlative Light Electron Microscopy (CLEM) for Tracking and Imaging Viral Protein Associated Structures in Cryo-immobilized Cells

Published on: September 7, 2018

Prokaryote viruses studied by electron microscopy.

H-W Ackermann1, D Prangishvili

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectiology, Faculty of Medicine, Félix d'Herelle Reference Center for Bacterial Viruses, Laval University, Quebec, Canada. ackermann@mcb.ulaval.ca

Archives of Virology
|July 4, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Electron microscopy has described over 6300 prokaryote viruses, predominantly tailed bacteriophages. The Siphoviridae family, with long noncontractile tails, is the most common type of virus infecting bacteria and archaea.

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Isolation and Genome Analysis of Single Virions using 'Single Virus Genomics'

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Electron Microscopy

Background:

  • Prokaryote viruses, including bacteriophages and archaeal viruses, are crucial components of microbial ecosystems.
  • Morphological characterization using electron microscopy has been fundamental in classifying these viruses.
  • Previous counts have established the dominance of tailed viruses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and summarize the electron microscopical descriptions of prokaryote viruses.
  • To provide an updated count of morphologically described bacterial and archaeal viruses.
  • To analyze the distribution of virus morphologies and families across different prokaryotic phyla.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of electron microscopical studies on prokaryote viruses published since 1959.
  • Morphological classification based on established viral taxonomy.
  • Analysis of virus host range across bacterial and archaeal phyla and genera.

Main Results:

  • Nearly 6300 prokaryote viruses have been morphologically described (6196 bacterial, 88 archaeal).
  • Tailed viruses constitute the vast majority (96.3%), with Siphoviridae being the largest family (57.3%).
  • Prokaryote viruses infect 12 bacterial and archaeal phyla; archaeal viruses are associated with extreme environments, while bacterial viruses predominantly infect Firmicutes and γ-proteobacteria.

Conclusions:

  • Electron microscopy continues to be a vital tool for prokaryote virus discovery and classification.
  • The dominance of tailed viruses, particularly Siphoviridae, is a consistent feature across prokaryotic hosts.
  • Understanding the diversity and distribution of prokaryote viruses is essential for microbial ecology and biotechnology.