A new family of hybrid virophages from an animal gut metagenome

作者：Yutin Natalya; Kapitonov Vladimir V; Koonin Eugene V

来源：Biology Direct, 2015, 10(1): 19.

DOI：10.1186/s13062-015-0054-9

Search of metagenomics sequence databases for homologs of virophage capsid proteins resulted in the discovery of a new family of virophages in the sheep rumen metagenome. The genomes of the rumen virophages (RVP) encode a typical virophage major capsid protein, ATPase and protease combined with a Polinton-type, protein primed family B DNA polymerase. The RVP genomes appear to be linear molecules, with terminal inverted repeats. Thus, the RVP seem to represent virophage-Polinton hybrids that are likely capable of formation of infectious virions. Virion proteins of mimiviruses were detected in the same metagenomes as the RVP suggesting that the virophages of the new family parasitize on giant viruses that infect protist inhabitants of the rumen.

• 出版日期2015-4-25