Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Nadege Philippe, Avi Shukla, Chantal Abergel, Hugo Bisio
Summary: This article provides a detailed method for genetic manipulation of Acanthamoeba castellanii and the giant viruses it hosts using CRISPR-Cas9 or homologous recombination. It allows the study of gene function in giant viruses and the interactions between pathogens and the host organism A.castellanii.
Review
Cell Biology
Robert H. Insall, Peggy Paschke, Luke Tweedy
Summary: Chemotactic cells often create attractant gradients while responding to them, leading to more robust self-guidance, longer-range effects, and more information about the local environment. Understanding how cells generate and interpret their own chemoattractant gradients is fundamental to understanding the spatial patterns found in all organisms.
TRENDS IN CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Morgan Gaia, Lingjie Meng, Eric Pelletier, Patrick Forterre, Chiara Vanni, Antonio Fernandez-Guerra, Olivier Jaillon, Patrick Wincker, Hiroyuki Ogata, Mart Krupovic, Tom O. Delmont
Summary: DNA viruses have a significant impact on the ecology and evolution of cellular organisms, but their overall diversity and evolutionary paths are still unclear. This study discovered plankton-infecting relatives of herpesviruses in the sunlit oceans, which belong to a new phylum named Mirusviricota. These mirusviruses exhibit chimaeric attributes connecting them to both herpesviruses and giant eukaryotic viruses, and they play a lasting role in the ecology of marine ecosystems and the evolution of eukaryotic DNA viruses.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Violette Da Cunha, Morgan Gaia, Hiroyuki Ogata, Olivier Jaillon, Tom O. Delmont, Patrick Forterre
Summary: This study reveals the presence and expression of actin-related genes in viral genomes, suggesting that viruses recruited these genes from ancient protoeukaryotic hosts and transferred them to give rise to eukaryotic actins, which could have contributed to the emergence of the modern eukaryotic cytoskeleton.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Charu Sharma, Andreas Walther
Summary: Biological self-assemblies can self- and cross-regulate each other through chemical reaction networks and feedback. In this study, a rational design approach for chemo-structural feedback was introduced, and a transient colloidal co-assembly system was presented. The formed co-assemblies could autonomously accelerate their destruction. This research introduces versatile mechanisms for chemo-structural feedback.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Patrick Arthofer, Vincent Delafont, Anouk Willemsen, Florian Panhoelzl, Matthias Horn
Summary: Protists play important roles in regulating microbial communities and food webs. Their activity is influenced by intracellular parasites, including bacterial symbionts and viruses. This study investigates the interaction between bacterial symbionts and nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses in free-living amoebae. The findings show that the bacterial symbiont represses viral replication and protects the amoeba host. This study highlights the importance of virus-symbiont interactions in microbial population dynamics and ecosystem processes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biology
Shoko Hososhima, Ritsu Mizutori, Rei Abe-Yoshizumi, Andrey Rozenberg, Shunta Shigemura, Alina Pushkarev, Masae Konno, Kota Katayama, Keiichi Inoue, Satoshi P. Tsunoda, Oded Beja, Hideki Kandori
Summary: Rhodopsins, including the newly discovered Heliorhodopsins (HeRs), are proteins that convert light into signals and energy. A viral HeR, V2HeR3, was found to be a light-activated proton transporter with potential applications in optogenetics. The function of HeRs in different organisms and viruses remains diverse and not fully understood.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Immacolata Speciale, Anna Notaro, Chantal Abergel, Rosa Lanzetta, Todd L. Lowary, Antonio Molinaro, Michela Tonetti, James L. Van Etten, Cristina De Castro
Summary: Viruses are a diverse group of entities that require a suitable host for replication. Recently discovered large and giant viruses have their own glycosylation pathway, different from the traditional paradigm where viral glycans mimic those of the host. This review focuses on large and giant viruses that produce carbohydrate-processing enzymes and discusses achievements in elucidating glycan structures, manipulating sugars, and organic synthesis of virus-encoded glycans.
Article
Microbiology
Rui Ma, Min Zhao, Haoning Wang, Rong Hou, Kailin Qin, Yu Qian, Han Zhang, Yanshan Zhou, Wei Wu, Jiang Gu, Xiaochun Wang, Quan Shen, Songrui Liu, Jiabin Liu, Wenlei Bi, Xiang Yu, Shixing Yang, Feifei Feng, Zusheng Li, Long Zhang, Guanwei Lan, Chao Chen, Fei Xue, Yan Wang, Huang Chong, Yang Hong, Likai Ji, Yuwei Liu, Dunwu Qi, Tongling Shan, Wen Zhang
Summary: This study analyzed the viromes of ticks collected from giant pandas in Sichuan Province, China, and found that these ticks carried various viral species, some of which were similar to those carried by giant pandas and their associated host species. The findings expand our understanding of the role of tick infestations in the local ecosystem and provide a foundation for assessing the risk of tick-borne viruses for giant pandas.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lingjie Meng, Tom O. Delmont, Morgan Gaia, Eric Pelletier, Antonio Fernandez-Guerra, Samuel Chaffron, Russell Y. Neches, Junyi Wu, Hiroto Kaneko, Hisashi Endo, Hiroyuki Ogata
Summary: The adaptation of viruses in polar oceans to the extremely cold environment is still largely unknown. This study utilizes the Global Ocean Eukaryotic Viral database to investigate the biogeography and functional repertoire of viruses in polar and nonpolar regions. The results indicate the existence of an ecological barrier separating polar and nonpolar viral communities, with temperature driving significant changes in the virus-host network at the boundary.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Jerome Teuliere, Charles Bernard, Eric Bapteste
Summary: The concept of age-distorters introduces the idea that external factors such as viruses, parasites, and symbionts can carry genes that interfere with the aging process of other organisms for their own evolutionary benefit. This interference results in organismal aging by manipulating the reproduction and maintenance trade-offs of the host, leading to expanded disposable soma. The acknowledgment of age-distorters as external sources of mutation accumulation and antagonistic pleiotropic genes expands the scope of existing theories on aging and evolutionary biology.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2021)
Review
Virology
Sihem Hannat, Bernard La Scola, Julien Andreani, Sarah Aherfi
Summary: Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus, the first giant virus isolated from amoeba, was discovered in 2003, opening up a new field of virology. Since then, many other giant viruses have been found, forming new families and taxonomical groups. This study aims to summarize the main features of this group of giant viruses.
Review
Microbiology
Khalil Geballa-Koukoulas, Bernard La Scola, Guillaume Blanc, Julien Andreani
Summary: The discovery of Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus in 2003 led to a paradigm shift in virology. Twelve years later, novel giant viruses were discovered using another amoeba host, Vermamoeba vermiformis. Studying the impact of these viruses on the host's cell cycle can provide insights into virus evolution and the origins of eukaryotes.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Danfeng Cao, Jose G. Martinez, Emilio Satoshi Hara, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: Inspired by initial bone development, bioinduced variable-stiffness actuators are fabricated, optimized, and characterized in this study. These actuators can morph in shape and change from soft to rigid, with the ability to promote mineralization for bone tissue integration.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Shifeng Cheng, Gane Ka-Shu Wong, Michael Melkonian
Summary: The articles demonstrate that Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses can integrate into host genomes, driving the evolution of eukaryotes through a mechanism of large-scale virus-mediated horizontal gene transfer.
CELL HOST & MICROBE
(2021)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Jacques van Helden, Colin D. Butler, Guillaume Achaz, Bruno Canard, Didier Casane, Jean-Michel Claverie, Fabien Colombo, Virginie Courtier, Richard H. Ebright, Francois Graner, Milton Leitenberg, Serge Morand, Nikolai Petrovsky, Rossana Segreto, Etienne Decroly, Jose Halloy
Editorial Material
Virology
Etienne Decroly, Jean-Michel Claverie, Bruno Canard
Editorial Material
Virology
Etienne Decroly, Jean-Michel Claverie, Bruno Canard
Review
Microbiology
Frederik Schulz, Chantal Abergel, Tanja Woyke
Summary: The discovery of giant viruses with similar characteristics as bacteria and cellular organisms has been a significant breakthrough in biology. Previously, our knowledge of giant viruses was limited to a small number of species-level isolates obtained through laboratory-based co-cultivation. However, advances in sequencing technologies and bioinformatics have expanded our understanding of giant viruses, their diversity, and their impact on global nutrient cycles.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Alejandro Villalta, Alain Schmitt, Leandro F. Estrozi, Emmanuelle R. J. Quemin, Jean-Marie Alempic, Audrey Lartigue, Vojtech Prazak, Lucid Belmudes, Daven Vasishtanm, Agathe M. G. Colmant, Flora A. Honore, Yohann Coute, Kay Grunewald, Chantal Abergel
Summary: Mimivirus, the prototype of Mimiviridae family of giant dsDNA viruses, has a unique organizational structure with a protein shell composed of two GMC-type oxidoreductases. The genome is arranged in left-handed super-helices with a central channel for transcription. This supramolecular organization is an efficient evolutionary strategy for packaging and protecting the genome.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sofia Rigou, Sebastien Santini, Chantal Abergel, Jean-Michel Claverie, Matthieu Legendre
Summary: This study reveals the abundance and diversity of giant viruses in soil through permafrost metagenomics, showing a unique diversity pattern and a high proportion of sequence coverage. Additionally, gene transfers between different viral families were also discovered.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alejandro Villalta, Batoul Srour, Audrey Lartigue, Martin Clemancey, Deborah Byrne, Florence Chaspoul, Antoine Loquet, Bruno Guigliarelli, Genevieve Blondin, Chantal Abergel, Benedicte Burlat
Summary: Scientists have discovered a protein in the giant virus mimivirus that is rich in the amino acids glycine and cysteine. This protein, called GciS, is one of the most abundant proteins in the viral particles and is likely essential for infection. It has unique binding properties with iron and inorganic sulfide.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hugo Bisio, Matthieu Legendre, Claire Giry, Nadege Philippe, Jean-Marie Alempic, Sandra Jeudy, Chantal Abergel
Summary: In this study, the researchers used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to genetically modify amoebal giant viruses, and found evidence suggesting that their giant size evolved gradually, possibly as an adaptation to uncertain environments.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Sebastien Santini, Quentin Schenkelaars, Cyril Jourda, Marc Duchesne, Hassiba Belahbib, Caroline Rocher, Marjorie Selva, Ana Riesgo, Michel Vervoort, Sally P. Leys, Laurent Kodjabachian, Andre Le Bivic, Carole Borchiellini, Jean-Michel Claverie, Emmanuelle Renard
Summary: This study analyzed the genome of the glass sponge Oopsacas minuta and found that its genome is small and lacks several key genes for metazoan development. The study also provided the complete genome of a new archaea species in the sponge's symbiotic microbial community.
Article
Virology
Jean-Marie Alempic, Audrey Lartigue, Artemiy E. E. Goncharov, Guido Grosse, Jens Strauss, Alexey N. N. Tikhonov, Alexander N. N. Fedorov, Olivier Poirot, Matthieu Legendre, Sebastien Santini, Chantal Abergel, Jean-Michel Claverie
Summary: A quarter of the Northern hemisphere is covered by permafrost, releasing organic matter and reviving ancient viruses and microbial cells as it thaws due to climate warming, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. While previous studies mainly focused on bacteria in permafrost, this study reports the preliminary characterization of 13 new viruses isolated from ancient Siberian permafrost samples, suggesting that zombie viruses are not as rare as previously believed. This highlights the potential public health threat of these revived viruses.
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Arshan Nasir, Gustavo Caetano-Anolles, Jean-Michel Claverie
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Gustavo Caetano-Anolles, Jean-Michel Claverie, Arshan Nasir
Summary: Taxonomy, driven by knowledge gaps, technical limitations, and a priorism, has become a battleground. This article assesses the current state of viral classification, highlighting common fallacies. Viruses, as contributors to the genomic makeup of organismal communities, challenge the concept of taxonomic units. They should instead be viewed as processes integrating virions and hosts. Phylogenetic networks and structural phylogenomic analysis can help overcome this impasse and reevaluate the validity of taxonomic units and principles.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sofia Rigou, Alain Schmitt, Jean-Marie Alempic, Audrey Lartigue, Peter Vendloczki, Chantal Abergel, Jean-Michel Claverie, Matthieu Legendre
Summary: This study reports the isolation and genome sequencing of two Pithoviridae viruses from soil samples, as well as three other recent isolates. A comparative genomic study of the Pithoviridae family using twelve available genome sequences reveals a nonuniform genome organization, with core genes concentrated in one region and gene duplications in another. The study also shows that Pithoviridae genomes are more conservative than other families of giant viruses, with a low proportion of genes originating from horizontal transfers. Genome size variation within the family is mainly due to variations in gene duplication rates and massive invasion by inverted repeats.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Nadege Philippe, Avi Shukla, Chantal Abergel, Hugo Bisio
Summary: This article provides a detailed method for genetic manipulation of Acanthamoeba castellanii and the giant viruses it hosts using CRISPR-Cas9 or homologous recombination. It allows the study of gene function in giant viruses and the interactions between pathogens and the host organism A.castellanii.
Article
Virology
Jean-Michel Claverie
