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Haloviruses of archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes
Nina S Atanasova1, Hanna M Oksanen1, Dennis H Bamford1
1Department of Biosciences and Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|May 2, 2015
Summary
Extremophilic viruses thrive in hypersaline environments, with up to 10(9) viruses per milliliter. Recent studies reveal these haloviruses can be classified into structure-based lineages, suggesting a common viral ancestor.
Area of Science:
- Extremophile virology
- Microbial ecology
- Structural biology
Background:
- Hypersaline environments harbor abundant extremophilic viruses (haloviruses).
- Haloviruses are found in salt water and can be trapped within salt crystals.
- Most known halovirus isolates infect archaea, with fewer infecting bacteria and eukaryotes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the diversity and classification of haloviruses.
- To highlight recent findings on viral lineage based on structure.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on halovirus isolates.
- Analysis of viral morphology, host range, genome type, and replication.
- Comparative analysis of virion architecture and major capsid protein fold.
Main Results:
- Haloviruses exhibit diverse morphologies including icosahedral, pleomorphic, and lemon-shaped forms.
- Classification of haloviruses is based on host, genome, and replication.
- Structure-based analysis suggests a few viral lineages originating from a common ancestor.
Conclusions:
- Haloviruses represent a significant component of extremophile ecosystems.
- Conserved virion architecture and capsid protein folds provide a basis for classifying haloviruses into distinct lineages.
- These findings contribute to understanding viral evolution in extreme environments.
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