Mavirus Explained

Mavirus is a genus of double stranded DNA virus that can infect the marine phagotrophic flagellate Cafeteria roenbergensis, but only in the presence of the giant CroV virus (Cafeteria roenbergensis).^[1] The genus contains only one species, Cafeteriavirus-dependent mavirus. Mavirus can integrate into the genome of cells of C. roenbergensis, and thereby confer immunity to the population ^[2]

The name is derived from Maverick virus.

The virophage was discovered by Matthias G. Fischer of the University of British Columbia while he was working on Cafeteria roenbergensis virus as part of his PhD.__TOC__

Virology

The genome is 19,063 bases long and encodes 20 predicted coding sequences. Seven have homology to the Maverick/Polinton family of transposons.

The genome encodes a retroviral integrase, an adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), a cysteine protease and a protein primed DNA polymerase B.

Classification

Mavirus is a genus in the family Lavidaviridae, which has been established by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses in 2016.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Fischer MG, Suttle CA . A virophage at the origin of large DNA transposons . Science . 332 . 6026 . 231–4 . April 2011 . 21385722 . 10.1126/science.1199412 . 2011Sci...332..231F . 206530677 .
2. Fischer MG, Hackl . Host genome integration and giant virus-induced reactivation of the virophage mavirus . Nature . 540 . 7632 . 288–91 . December 2016 . 27929021 . 10.1038/nature20593 . 2016Natur.540..288F . 4458402 .
3. Krupovic. M. Kuhn. JH. Fischer. MG. A classification system for virophages and satellite viruses.. Archives of Virology. January 2016. 161. 1. 233–47. 10.1007/s00705-015-2622-9. 26446887. free.