While analyzing the genomes of single-celled microbes, a team of researchers made a startling discovery: Thousands of previously unknown viruses were 'hidden' within the microbes' DNA.
The study's authors explain that most of these are no longer functional and are considered"genomic fossils." Research suggests EVEs can be adaptive in humans and other organisms, though, possibly helping fend off modern viruses.
According to the new study, DNA from the newly discovered viruses is similar to virophage DNA, suggesting microbes may enjoy some protection from giant viruses thanks to the"built-in" viruses residing in their genomes. Discovering thousands of new viruses hidden in microbe DNA wasn't the original goal for Bellas and his colleagues, who planned to study a new group of viruses they had found in the waters of Gossenköllesee, an alpine lake in the Austrian state of Tyrol.says"However, we did not know which organisms are usually infected by these viruses. That's why we conducted a large-scale study to test all microbes whose DNA sequences are known.
Noticing genes from virophages and other viruses in many of the microbe genomes, the researchers decided to investigate further, using Leo to systemically analyze all publicly available draft genome assemblies of protists.
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