Researchers at the Centre for Nanoscience at the University of Jyväskylaby in Finland have isolated a giant virus for the first time and named it Jyvaskylavirus. This finding suggests that the megavirus may be more widespread in the northern region than previously thought and plays a key role in the ecosystem. It also highlights the fact that there are still many unknowns about the structure, origin, and function of many of these biological entities.

Viruses are ubiquitous in nature. While most naturally occurring viruses pose no threat to humans, they play a vital role in ecosystems. In recent years, scientists have discovered giant viruses, some of which are comparable in size to bacteria and can infect amoebae and other microorganisms. To date, most known megaviruses have been found in Europe and South America, but their life cycles and distribution patterns remain unclear.

The study, initiated by the University of Jyväskylä, is the first time that a giant virus has been isolated in Finland. The giant virus, called Jyväskylä virus, was discovered when environmental samples were mixed with cultures of Acanthoeba carinii. The virus particle is 200 nanometers in diameter, which is about twice the size of the influenza virus or coronavirus.

Picture of Jyväskylä virus. The virus particle size is about twice that of the influenza virus or coronavirus. Image source: Jyväskylä University

"Through international collaboration, we have elucidated the genome and structure of the Jyväskylä virus and found that the virus is related to the Marseille virus, which was previously isolated from France. Other new giant viruses have also been detected in environmental samples," said Professor Lotta-Lina Sandberg of Jyväskylä University.

This finding suggests that giant viruses are more prevalent than thought in soil and water, and even in northern environments.

"This discovery will help understand the interactions between microbes and the role of viruses in regulating all biological populations, and provide new insights into the structure of giant viruses," Sandberg said. ”

編譯自/scitechdaily