In the outer ring of each model genome, solid circles indicate genes exclusively shared with large DNA viruses (blue), Klosneuviruses (white), eukaryotes (red), bacteria (green), all three domains of cellular life (yellow), and singletons (gray)
SCIENCE, F. SCHULZ ET AL.
While analyzing genetic material found in a wastewater treatment plant, scientists uncovered the genomes of four new species of related giant viruses. These newly discovered specimens, dubbed Klosneuviruses, challenge the notion that giant viruses evolved from a fourth domain of life, researchers wrote in a study published today (April 6) in Science.
When researchers in France uncovered Mimivirus in 2003, they came across two surprising observations: not only was it much larger than any other known virus, its genome contained sequences that encoded for translational machinery, which are absent in most other viral species. These findings prompted some scientists to ...
