mimivirus

Question 1

Where are mimiviruses found?

Answer 1

giant viruses in amoebae

Question 2

why are mimiviruses called mimi?

Answer 2

mimicking microbes

Question 3

How big are mimiviruses?

Answer 3

-they are bigger than the smallest intracellular bacterium
-virus particles contain mRNA and >100 Proteins

Question 4

Why is the mimivirus a virus and not an obliogate intracellular bacterium?

Answer 4

Most important: absence of genes for ribosomes, energy production and energy conversion

further:
-capsidf protein (double jelly-roll fold)
-ikosahedral structure
-eclipse phase as part of life cycle
-phylogeny

Question 5

Where do the 975 transcribed genes of mimivirus come from?

Answer 5

30 % from eukaryotic host
70 % from the virusphere

Question 6

what is the virusphere?

Answer 6

gene pool of viruses

Question 7

what are the characteristics of sputnik (virophage)

Answer 7

-circular dsDNA
-depends on its replication on mamavirus (helper virus)
-genes are a mixture from viruses infecting archae, bacteria and eukarya –> gene transfer by virophages

Question 8

how did Klosneuviruses evolve?

Answer 8

not from cellular ancestor but are derived from a much smaller virus through extensive gain of host genes

–>encodes expanended translation machinery