Pandoravirus

When Pandora viruses is denoted by double-stranded DNA genome of 1.9 to 2.5 megabase pairs by the discoverers, a group of non-classified pathogens. Pandora viruses would if they were then assigned to viruses, among them possess the largest known genome. The tropism ( the host range ) of Pandora viruses includes amoebae. So far, two Pandora viruses have been described, Pandora virus salinus ( from Chilean coastal waters isolated ) and Pandora virus dulcis ( from an Australian freshwater lake ). Pandora viruses, however, were found in Germany a few years ago, which until 2013 was molecular biology confirmed that it was Pandora viruses. The interesting thing here is that they have been detected in Acanthamoeba from contact lens cases a Keratitispatientin.

Structure

The virion has dimensions of about one micron in length and 0.7 micrometers wide, making them among the largest known viruses. The virion is oval shaped and has an opening at one end. Pandora viruses are about the size of a small bacterium.

Genome

The genome of Pandora salinus virus consists of 2,556 genes with 2.8 million base pairs in length. Pandora virus dulcis has distributed 1500 genes to 1.9 million base pairs. 93 percent of the genes of these two viruses Pandora are completely alien (without homology in databases) and can be up to now no known origin traced.