Plasmids, viruses and virus-like membrane vesicles from Thermococcales.
Several families of plasmids and viruses (PVs) have now been described in hyperthermophilic archaea of the order Thermococcales. One family of plasmids replicates by the rolling circle mechanism, whereas most other PVs probably replicate by the θ mode. PVs from Thermococcales encode novel families of DNA replication proteins that have only detectable homologues in other archaeal PVs. PVs from different families share a common gene pool and co-evolve with their hosts. Most Thermococcales also produce virus-like membrane vesicles similar to eukaryotic microparticles (ectosomes). Some membrane vesicles of Thermococcus nautilus harbour the plasmid pTN1, suggesting that vesicles can be involved in plasmid transfer between species.
Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, Univ Paris-Sud 11, UMR 8621, CNRS 91405, Orsay, France.
Nicolas
N
Soler
Marie
M
Gaudin
Evelyne
E
Marguet
Patrick
P
Forterre
D023641:Archaeal Viruses / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004261:DNA Replication; D019641:DNA, Archaeal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019709:Thermococcales / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology*; D022161:Transport Vesicles / Q000737:chemistry*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
D019641:DNA, Archaeal; D014764:Viral Proteins