The First-Ever Discovery Of A Virus Co-Evolution Startles Scientists: Report
Table Of Contents
According to biological sciences professor Ivan Erill, “it is known that some viruses, called satellites, depend on another virus, known as a “helper,” in addition to their host organism, in order to complete their life cycle.” The satellite virus requires aid to either construct its capsid, a protective encasement for its genetic material, or to facilitate DNA replication.
Up until now, there have been no documented instances of a satellite physically attaching itself to a helper. Instead, these viral relationships necessitate the satellite and the helper to be in close proximity to one another, if only momentarily.
Eighty percent (40 out of 50) of the helpers had a satellite bowed at the neck in detailed electron microscopy images obtained by Tagide deCarvalho, assistant director of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences core facilities and first author of the new paper. There were some individuals who lacked residual satellite tendrils at the neck. According to Erill, the paper’s senior author, they resemble “bite marks.”
Eighty percent (40 out of 50) of the helpers had a satellite bowed at the neck in detailed electron microscopy images obtained by Tagide deCarvalho, assistant director of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences core facilities and first author on the new paper. There were some individuals who lacked residual satellite tendrils at the neck. According to Erill, the paper’s senior author, they resemble “bite marks.”
“When I saw it, I was like, ‘I can’t believe this,’” deCarvalho says. “No one has ever seen a bacteriophage—or any other virus—attach to another virus.”Further bioinformatics analysis by Erill’s Ph.D. student Julia López-Pérez and Mascolo showed that MindFlayer and MiniFlayer have been co-evolving for a considerable amount of time. “This satellite has been tuning in and optimizing its genome to be associated with the helper for, I would say, at least 100 million years,” Erill says. It implies that there might be a great deal more of these relationships still to be found.
Learn More About:
You May Also Like
