First evidence of host range expansion in virophages and its potential impact on giant viruses and host cells

Said Mougari; Nisrine Chelkha; Dehia Sahmi-Bounsiar; Fabrizio Di Pinto; Philippe Colson; Jonatas Abrahao; Bernard La Scola

We demonstrated here that mutant Guarani confers total protection to neighboring 18 . The main advantage of integrating virophages is probably that the host cell carries a permanent antiviral weapon in its genome. However, random integration of foreign genetic elements might have considerable impacts on the cell. These repercussions might range from altering its survival to affecting its evolutionary course 54 . In this context, infection with highly virulent virophages, such as mutant Guarani, may be more advantageous for amoebae than integration of Mavirus for C. roenbergensis. However, the fate of the virophage is also different between these two varieties of tripartite interactions. While the Mavirus genome is efficiently preserved within the C. roenbergensis genome, extinction of their associated giant virus will most likely cause the extinction of highly virulent author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.