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Using a specially designed computational tool as a lure, scientists have netted the genomic sequences of almost 12,500 previously uncharacterized viruses from public databases.
ScienceDaily reports on an recently accepted manuscript in eLife:
Finding a treasure trove of new virus genome sequences has opened the door to using those data to identify previously unknown microbial hosts, as well. These new possibilities are attributed to VirSorter, a computational tool [which] scoured public databases of sequenced microbial genomes.
"We can survey a lot of environments to find new viruses, but the challenge has been answering, who do they infect?...[W]e can explore that viral-host linkage. That's a really important part of the equation."
Though viruses are generally thought to take over whatever organism they invade, [we] identified a few viruses, called prophages, which coexist with their host microbes and even produce genes that help the host cells compete and survive.
"That is a really different and largely unexplored phenomenon. [It] appears quite widespread, and virtually nobody is studying these kinds of viruses."
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday August 18 2015, @02:28PM
They'll keep poking, and searching, and when they get deep enough, they will discover that we owe our intelligence to viruses. That's right, those of us who have no prophages find themselves riding the short busses to school!
I can hear it now. "Professor, it seems we all have these viruses. What can we do about them?"
"Now, now, Gene, don't get excited. Let's try this new anti-viral innoculation - you first. How do you feel?"
"Derp?"
"Stop fooling around, Gene."
Drooling on himself, "meangenebeengreenbean"