Viruses from extreme thermal environments
George Rice, Kenneth Stedman, Jamie Snyder, Blake Wiedenheft, Debbie Willits, Susan Brumfield, Timothy McDermott, and Mark J. Young
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2001
Abstract
Viruses of extreme thermophiles are of great interest because they
serve as model systems for understanding the biochemistry and
molecular biology required for life at high temperatures. In this
work, we report the discovery, isolation, and preliminary characterization
of viruses and virus-like particles from extreme thermal
acidic environments (70–92°C, pH 1.0–4.5) found in Yellowstone
National Park. Six unique particle morphologies were found in
Sulfolobus enrichment cultures. Three of the particle morphologies
are similar to viruses previously isolated from Sulfolobus species
from Iceland and/or Japan. Sequence analysis of their viral genomes
suggests that they are related to the Icelandic and Japanese
isolates. In addition, three virus particle morphologies that had not
been previously observed from thermal environments were found.
These viruses appear to be completely novel in nature.
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