Tupanvirus

Tupanvirus
Virus classification
Group: Group I (dsDNA)
Family: Mimiviridae
Genus: Tupanvirus

Tupanvirus is the name of two giant viruses, Tupanvirus deep ocean and Tupanvirus soda lake. They are named after Tupã (Tupan), a Guaraní thunder god, and the places they were found. Unique to these viruses is they can incorporate (or translate) all 20 standard amino acids.[1][2][3]

Tupanvirus measure up to 1.2 μm in complete virion length, with a capsid similar to that of amoebal mimiviruses in size (~450 nm) and structure. However, the Tupanvirus virion presents a large cylindrical tail (~550 nm × 450 nm diameter) attached to the base of the capsid.[2] Some particles can reach up to 2.3 μm because of the variation in tail size. The genome contains roughly 1.5 million base pairs of double-stranded DNA,[1] coding for 1276–1425 predicted proteins. Many genes that encode for processes found in cellular organisms are found in Tupanvirus genome. [2] They are able to infect protists and amoebas, but pose no threat to humans.[1] As a giant virus, Tupanvirus present the largest translational apparatus within the known virosphere.The analysis of tupanviruses constitutes a new step towards understanding the evolution of giant viruses.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Garisto, Dan (27 February 2018). "These giant viruses have more protein-making gear than any known virus".
  2. 1 2 3 Abrahão, Jônatas; Silva, Lorena; Silva, Ludmila Santos; Khalil, Jacques Yaacoub Bou; Rodrigues, Rodrigo; Arantes, Thalita; Assis, Felipe; Boratto, Paulo; Andrade, Miguel; Kroon, Erna Geessien; Ribeiro, Bergmann; Bergier, Ivan; Seligmann, Herve; Ghigo, Eric; Colson, Philippe; Levasseur, Anthony; Kroemer, Guido; Raoult, Didier; Scola, Bernard La (27 February 2018). "Tailed giant Tupanvirus possesses the most complete translational apparatus of the known virosphere". Nature Communications. 9 (1). doi:10.1038/s41467-018-03168-1.
  3. ↑ Schulz, Frederik; Yutin, Natalya; Ivanova, Natalia N.; Ortega, Davi R.; Lee, Tae Kwon; Vierheilig, Julia; Daims, Holger; Horn, Matthias; Wagner, Michael; Jensen, Grant J.; Kyrpides, Nikos C.; Koonin, Eugene V.; Woyke, Tanja (7 April 2017). "Giant viruses with an expanded complement of translation system components". Science. 356 (6333): 82–85. doi:10.1126/science.aal4657. PMID 28386012 – via science.sciencemag.org.
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