Virophage
| Virophaviricetes | |
|---|---|
| Sputnik virophage | |
| Virus classification | |
| (unranked): | Virus |
| Realm: | Varidnaviria |
| Kingdom: | Bamfordvirae |
| Phylum: | Preplasmiviricota |
| Subphylum: | Polisuviricotina |
| Class: | Virophaviricetes |
| Subtaxa | |
Virophages are small, double-stranded DNA viruses that require the co-infection of another virus. The co-infecting viruses are typically giant viruses. Virophages rely on the viral replication factory of the co-infecting giant virus for their own replication. One of the characteristics of virophages is that they have a parasitic relationship with the co-infecting virus. Their dependence upon the giant virus for replication sometimes results in reduced virulence of the giant viruses. Many virophage genomes are integrated into the genomes of single-celled eukaryotes, and they reactivate upon infection of a giant virus, thereby providing a form of inducible antiviral defense [2]. The virophage may improve the recovery and survival of the host organism. Most known virophages are classified within the class class Virophaviricetes and are associated with giant viruses of the family Mimiviridae. Virophages are associated with a range of other host viruses, however, including insect poxviruses.[3]
- ^ a b Mougari, S., Sahmi-Bounsiar, D., Levasseur, A., Colson, P. and La Scola, B. (2019) "Virophages of Giant Viruses: An Update at Eleven". Viruses, 11(8): 733. doi:10.3390/v11080733. Material was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
- ^ Fischer MG, Hackl (December 2016). "Host genome integration and giant virus-induced reactivation of the virophage mavirus". Nature. 540 (7632): 288–91. Bibcode:2016Natur.540..288F. doi:10.1038/nature20593. PMID 27929021. S2CID 4458402.
- ^ Barth ZK, Hicklin I, Thézé J, Takatsuka J, Nakai M, Herniou EA, Brown AM, Aylward FO (12 July 2024). "Genomic analysis of hyperparasitic viruses associated with entomopoxviruses". Virus Evolution. 10 (1): veae051. doi:10.1093/ve/veae051. PMC 11296320. PMID 39100687.