Cafeteria-roenbergensis-Virus
The cafeteria roenbergensis virus ( CroV ), or cafeteria - roenbergensis virus strain ( strain) bodo virus- pier water 1 isolate (BV - PW1 ), or cafeteria roenbergensis virus MGF - 2008, is a marine occurring virus ( virion ) with a diameter of 280 nm, which infects the living zooplankton in the unicellular flagellate Cafeteria roenbergensis the type of the genus Cafeteria. It thus belongs to the largest total so far identified viruses. It was discovered in the early 1990s off the coast of Texas ( USA), may be distantly related to Mimivirus and the group of Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses ( NCLDV ) has been allocated.
Genome size
With approximately 730,000 DNA Nukleinbasenpaaren and over 500 identified genes the genome is in contrast to the simple design of this great sea - virus, only a few genes possessing viruses very extensive and surpassing even the genetic material of some complex single-celled organisms.
Like other viruses, also, the cafeteria roenbergensis virus for its replication must invade a host cell, but it can make on the basis of its extensive heritage important cell components independently. Thus, inter alia, expressing certain genes DNA repair enzymes, which have not been found in other viruses. Another approximately 38,000 base pairs of large genome - section is probably of bacterial origin and encodes enzymes that are necessary for the synthesis of carbohydrates. Exactly such carbohydrates also form the outer cell membrane of some bacteria strains.
As you - as stated by the researchers - would expect a large proportion of the found in this virus genetic equipment only in a living cell, the cafeteria roenbergensis virus blurring the line between viruses / virions and living organisms and thus represents the among scientists widespread assessment of viruses as non living things in question.
Importance to the marine ecosystem
Since the cafeteria roenbergensis -Virus in the sea widespread planktonic species ( cafeteria roenbergensis ) attacks, which in turn feeds on bacteria and thus forms the basis of the marine food chain, it probably has a major impact on the ecosystem of the oceans, as a viruses for example, can cause a breakdown of cafeteria populations.