Pandoravirus - missing link found between virus and cell

(Along with the discovery of the Mimivirus 10 years ago and, more recently, Megavirus chilensis, researchers think that they have reached the most remote mystery of the virus world in terms of size. Genetic size and complexity.

With a diameter in the area the size of a micro meter and a combination of more than 1,100 genes, these giant viruses, causing amoeba infection of the Acanthamoeba species , have invaded extensively in areas that were previously is believed to be the exclusive domain of bacteria. For competitive purposes, common viruses such as influenza viruses or viruses cause AIDS, each containing only about 10 genes.

In the paper published in Science, the researchers announced that they discovered two new giant viruses.

- Pandoravirus salinus , on the coast of Chile.

- Pandoravirus dulcis , in a freshwater pond in Melbourne, Australia.

Photo: forcetoknow.com

A detailed analysis showed that these two new Pandoravirus viruses are almost nothing like the previously identified giant viruses. With only a very small percentage (6%) of proteins encoded by Pandoravirus salinus, it is similar to those encoded proteins that have been identified in other viruses or cell-structured life forms.

With a set of genes of this size, Pandoravirus salinus has shown that viruses can be much more complex than some eukaryotic cells. Another unusual feature of Pandoraviruses is that they have no genes that allow them to build a protein like shell protein, which is the basis for building a traditional block of viruses.

Despite all these unusual properties, Pandoraviruses still express the essential properties of other viruses such as not containing ribosomes, not producing energy and not dividing.

This groundbreaking study included an analysis of Pandoravirus salinus's protein system, which demonstrated that the proteins that make up it are consistent with those predicted by the virus' gene sequence. Pandoraviruses also use common genetic codes with all living things on earth.

This shows that there is much to observe learning the diversity of the microbiological world as soon as new environments are noticed. Simultaneous detection of two samples of these two new virus families in sediments located 15,000km away indicates that Pandoravirrus, viruses that are completely unknown until now, are not too rare.

A clear bridge between the gap between viruses and cells - a flaw was declared as a guess at the beginning of modern viral biology since the 1950s.

It also shows that cell-forming organisms may have arisen with a variety of precursors rather than the usual species that have been noticed, when a new giant virus is almost nonexistent out of 3. The area has been identified by cell-forming life forms, eukaryotes, bacteria and ancient bacteria.