法國研究人員日前在單細(xì)胞生物阿米巴變形蟲體內(nèi)發(fā)現(xiàn)了一種新的巨型病毒,，并為其取名“馬賽病毒”（Marseillevirus）。
艾克斯－馬賽大學(xué)傳染病和熱帶病研究小組的負(fù)責(zé)人迪迪埃·拉烏爾9日向媒體介紹了這種巨型病毒,。他說，這是一種全新的病毒,，其基因組構(gòu)成與其他種類的病毒差別很大,。研究人員同時(shí)發(fā)現(xiàn)，它與其他寄居在阿米巴變形蟲體內(nèi)的微生物進(jìn)行過基因交換,，這些微生物包括細(xì)菌和其他巨型病毒,。據(jù)介紹，“馬賽病毒”直徑約為250毫微米,，其基因組包含36．8萬個(gè)堿基對(duì),。
此前,，法國科學(xué)家曾在阿米巴變形蟲體內(nèi)發(fā)現(xiàn)過一種名為Mamavirus的巨型病毒,，大小幾乎與小型細(xì)菌差不多，用普通顯微鏡就能夠觀察到它的存在,。研究人員認(rèn)為,，這說明阿米巴變形蟲體內(nèi)存在一套機(jī)制，能不斷產(chǎn)生新的病毒,。
該研究成果已刊登在最新一期美國《國家科學(xué)院學(xué)報(bào)》上,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
PNAS December 9, 2009, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0911354106
Giant Marseillevirus highlights the role of amoebae as a melting pot in emergence of chimeric microorganisms
Micka?l Boyera,1, Natalya Yutinb,1, Isabelle Pagniera, Lina Barrassia, Ghislain Fournousa, Leon Espinosaa, Catherine Roberta, Sa?d Azzaa, Siyang Sunc, Michael G. Rossmannc,2, Marie Suzan-Montia,3, Bernard La Scolaa, Eugene V. Kooninb and Didier Raoulta,2
aUnité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement 6236, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France;
bNational Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894; and
cDepartment of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
Giant viruses such as Mimivirus isolated from amoeba found in aquatic habitats show biological sophistication comparable to that of simple cellular life forms and seem to evolve by similar mechanisms, including extensive gene duplication and horizontal gene transfer (HGT), possibly in part through a viral parasite, the virophage. We report here the isolation of “Marseille” virus, a previously uncharacterized giant virus of amoeba. The virions of Marseillevirus encompass a 368-kb genome, a minimum of 49 proteins, and some messenger RNAs. Phylogenetic analysis of core genes indicates that Marseillevirus is the prototype of a family of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV) of eukaryotes. The genome repertoire of the virus is composed of typical NCLDV core genes and genes apparently obtained from eukaryotic hosts and their parasites or symbionts, both bacterial and viral. We propose that amoebae are “melting pots” of microbial evolution where diverse forms emerge, including giant viruses with complex gene repertoires of various origins.
