New evolutionary frontiers from unusual virus genomes.
The sequences of two giant viral genomes, Mimivirus and a polydnavirus, have recently been published. Mimivirus has the largest known viral genome and encodes an unprecedented number of proteins, whereas the polydnavirus genome has an extremely low coding density and does not encode DNA-replication proteins. These and other unusual features challenge the way we view the evolution and definition of viruses.
Desjardins
Christopher
C
The Institute for Genomic Research, 9712 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20854, USA.
Eisen
Jonathan A
JA
Nene
Vishvanath
V
D000818:Animals; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016679:Genome, Viral; D023281:Genomics; D010802:Phylogeny; D018071:Polydnaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D014863:Wasps / Q000821:virology