biostudies-literatureSantini SEuropean Research CouncilAgence Nationale de la RechercheGRALEuropean Union’s Horizon 2020Chemistry Biology Health (CBH) Graduate School of University Grenoble AlpesEuropean Union's Horizon 2020wraf002https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11788076biostudies-literatureUnknown19(1)The microbial sampling of submarine hydrothermal vents remains challenging, with even fewer studies focused on viruses. Here we report what is to our knowledge the first isolation of a eukaryotic virus from the Lost City hydrothermal field, by co-culture with the laboratory host Acanthamoeba castellanii. This virus, named pacmanvirus lostcity, is closely related to previously isolated pacmanviruses (strains A23 and S19), clustering in a divergent clade within the long-established family Asfarviridae. The icosahedral particles of this virus are 200 nm in diameter, with an electron-dense core surrounded by an inner membrane. The viral genome of 395 708 bp (33% G + C) has been predicted to encode 473 proteins. However, besides these standard properties, pacmanvirus lostcity was found to be asThe ISME journalPacmanvirus isolated from the Lost City hydrothermal field extends the concept of transpoviron beyond the family Mimiviridae.PMC11788076ANR-10-INBS-08832601ANR-17-EURE-0003Coute YBelmudes LLartigue AAlempic JMLegendre MBrazelton WJLang SQSantini SClaverie JMAbergel CfalsePacmanvirus isolated from the Lost City hydrothermal field extends the concept of transpoviron beyond the family Mimiviridae.The microbial sampling of submarine hydrothermal vents remains challenging, with even fewer studies focused on viruses. Here we report what is to our knowledge the first isolation of a eukaryotic virus from the Lost City hydrothermal field, by co-culture with the laboratory host Acanthamoeba castellanii. This virus, named pacmanvirus lostcity, is closely related to previously isolated pacmanviruses (strains A23 and S19), clustering in a divergent clade within the long-established family Asfarviridae. The icosahedral particles of this virus are 200 nm in diameter, with an electron-dense core surrounded by an inner membrane. The viral genome of 395 708 bp (33% G + C) has been predicted to encode 473 proteins. However, besides these standard properties, pacmanvirus lostcity was found to be as2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Jan2026-06-02T21:07:49.049Z2025-04-19T14:09:30.419ZS-EPMC117880763978991110.1093/ismejo/wraf002