Pandoravirus salinus: Difference between revisions

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==Classification==
==Classification==


[[File: ''Pandoravirus salinus''.jpeg | thumb | right | An image of ''Pandoravirus salinus''. Source: http://io9.com/newly-discovered-pandoravirus-could-redefine-life-as-827838228]]
[[File: ''Pandoravirus salinus''.jpeg | thumb | right | ''Pandoravirus salinus''. Source: http://io9.com/newly-discovered-pandoravirus-could-redefine-life-as-827838228]]


Because virus oppose the The Cell Theory, thus, it doesn't fits into the three domain system of biological classification. However,the discovery of ''Pandoravirus salinus'' lead scientist to think about the possibility of the existence of the fourth domain of life, other than ''Archean'', ''Bacteria'' and ''Eukarya''.   


Family:''Pandoraviridae''
Family:''Pandoraviridae''

Revision as of 06:50, 21 July 2013

This student page has not been curated.

Classification


Family:Pandoraviridae

Genus:Pandoravirus

Species:Pandoravirus salinus

Description and Significance

Pandoravirus salinus is the largest known virus to date. It is found in the sediments of Chile coastal area by Jean-Michel Claverie and Chantal Abergel, evolutionary biologists at Aix-Marseille University of France. The largest know virus on Earth is classified as Group I virus under the Baltimore Classification. The existence of Pandoravirus salinus hint the unknown parts of the tree of life and also suggest the existence of the fourth domain because only 7% of their genes match those in existing databases. http://www.nature.com/news/giant-viruses-open-pandora-s-box-1.13410

When people look into cells and when they see things that don't have the right dimension or don't have regular assets or geometries, they don't think of viruses—they think its some kind of bacteria." owever, with its novel morphological features and genetic code twice the size of Megavirus, pandoraviruses will eventually add a new range of questions to the abiding question of the origins of life on Earth.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/354786#ixzz2ZckUwVJi


Give a brief description of the microorganism and explain why you think it is important. How does it relate to the other organisms in its phylum (bacteria and fungi) or group (archaea, virus, protist). Use the following for each reference in text (change number accordingly)--> [1]

Structure, Metabolism, and Life Cycle

Comparison of number bases with viruses, bacteria, archaean and bacteria. Source: http://io9.com/newly-discovered-pandoravirus-could-redefine-life-as-827838228

Their size is 1 micrometre long and 0.5 micrometres across, large enough to be observe under a light microscope. http://guardianlv.com/2013/07/pandora-virus-is-new-domain-of-life/ and http://www.nature.com/news/giant-viruses-open-pandora-s-box-1.13410 It's got an arsenal of 2,556 genes compared with the flu's 7 or HIV's 9. http://now.msn.com/pandoravirus-is-a-giant-virus-discovered-thats-1000-the-size-of-the-flu

According to the researchers that discovered the largest known virus off the coast of central Chile, the virus happens to have no morphological or genomic resemblance to any previously defined virus families. ??? Their micrometer-sized ovoid particles contain DNA genomes of at least 2.5 and 1.9 megabases, respectively. http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6143/281.short

Pandoravirus salinus do not make their own proteins, produce energy via ATP synthesis or reproduce by dividing. However, they contain some of the core genes that are common to other giant viruses. They survive through a typical viral life cycle. Under an electron microscope, the researchers witnessed how Pandoravirus salinus inject themselves to an Amoeba hosts. After entering the host, P. salinus empty their own proteins and DNA into the host, hijack the host's nuclei and producing hundreds of new viral particles and. The final stage of the viral life cycle would be to lyse the host cells open. http://www.nature.com/news/giant-viruses-open-pandora-s-box-1.13410

Interesting features of its structure; how it gains energy (how it replicates, if virus); what important molecules it produces (if any), does it have an interesting life cycle?

Ecology and Pathogenesis

Figure above illustrates Pandoravirus salinus infecting Amoeba. Source: http://www.nature.com/news/giant-viruses-open-pandora-s-box-1.13410

It is reported that the virus was isolated from the mouth of Chile's Tunquen River located in central of Chile. Furthermore, another member of the Pandoravirus genus, Pandoravirus dulcius were found in a freshwater pond near Melbourne, Australia. Therefore, their habitat is most likely to be in water. Based on Claverie and Abergel's observation, they observed that the Pandoraviruses parasitize amoebas. In addition, the researchers who responsible for the the discovery say that these megaviruses, which live underwater, are harmless to humans (so far) http://now.msn.com/pandoravirus-is-a-giant-virus-discovered-thats-1000-the-size-of-the-flu

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/07/130718-viruses-pandoraviruses-science-biology-evolution/

Natural habitat (soil, water, commensal of humans or animals?)
If relevant, how does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, or plant hosts? Important virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.

References

[1] EXAMPLE ONLY. REPLACE WITH YOUR REFERENCES. Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. 2000. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 50: 489-500. http://ijs.sgmjournals.org/cgi/reprint/50/2/489

Author

Page authored by Mei Kuen Tang, student of Mandy Brosnahan, Instructor at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, MICB 3301/3303: Biology of Microorganisms.