Pandoraviridae Explained

Pandoraviridae is a proposed family of double-stranded DNA viruses that infect amoebae. There is only one genus in this family: Pandoravirus. Several species in this genus have been described, including Pandoravirus dulcis, Pandoravirus salinus and Pandoravirus yedoma.^{[1] [2]}

History

The viruses were discovered in 2013.^{[1] [2]}

Description

The viruses in this family are the second largest known virus (~1 micrometer) in capsid length, after Pithovirus (1.5 micrometer).^[3] Pandoravirus has the largest viral genome known, containing double-stranded DNA of 1.9 to 2.5 megabase pairs.^[4]

Evolution

These viruses appear to be related to the phycodnaviruses.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Yong . Ed . 10.1038/nature.2013.13410 . Giant viruses open Pandora's box . Nature . 18 July 2013 . 88440241 .
2. Pandoraviruses: Amoeba Viruses with Genomes Up to 2.5 Mb Reaching That of Parasitic Eukaryotes . Nadège Philippe . Science . July 2013 . 341 . 6143 . 281–6 . 10.1126/science.1239181 . 23869018 . Matthieu Legendre . Gabriel Doutre . 3 . 2013Sci...341..281P . Poirot . Olivier . Lescot . Magali . Arslan . Defne . Seltzer . Virginie . Bertaux . Lionel . Bruley . Christophe . Garin . Jérome . Claverie . Jean-Michel . Abergel . Chantal. 16877147 .
3. News: Ancient "Giant Virus" Revived From Siberian Permafrost . National Geographic . 3 March 2014 . Sirucek . Stefan . https://web.archive.org/web/20140304020034/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140303-giant-virus-permafrost-siberia-pithovirus-pandoravirus-science/ . dead . 4 March 2014 .
4. News: World's Biggest Virus May Have Ancient Roots . National Public Radio . 18 July 2013 . 18 July 2013 . Brumfiel, Geoff.
5. Yutin N, Koonin EV . Pandoraviruses are highly derived phycodnaviruses . Biol. Direct . 8 . 25 . 2013 . 24148757 . 3924356 . 10.1186/1745-6150-8-25 . free .