A billion years arms-race between viruses, virophages, and eukaryotes.

ABSTRACT: Bamfordviruses are arguably the most diverse group of viruses infecting eukaryotes. They include the Nucleocytoplasmic Large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), virophages, adenoviruses, Mavericks and Polinton-like viruses. Two main hypotheses for their origins have been proposed: the 'nuclear-escape' and 'virophage-first' hypotheses. The nuclear-escape hypothesis proposes an endogenous, Maverick-like ancestor which escaped from the nucleus and gave rise to adenoviruses and NCLDVs. In contrast, the virophage-first hypothesis proposes that NCLDVs coevolved with protovirophages; Mavericks then evolved from virophages that became endogenous, with adenoviruses escaping from the nucleus at a later stage. Here, we test the predictions made by both models and consider alternative evolution

SUBMITTER: Barreat JGN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10328495 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature