Origin and evolution of eukaryotic large nucleo-cytoplasmic DNA viruses.

ABSTRACT:

Background/aims

The nucleo-cytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV) constitute an apparently monophyletic group that consists of 6 families of viruses infecting a broad variety of eukaryotes. A comprehensive genome comparison and maximum-likelihood reconstruction of NCLDV evolution reveal a set of approximately 50 conserved genes that can be tentatively mapped to the genome of the common ancestor of this class of eukaryotic viruses. We address the origins and evolution of NCLDV.

Results

Phylogenetic analysis indicates that some of the major clades of NCLDV infect diverse animals and protists, suggestive of early radiation of the NCLDV, possibly concomitant with eukaryogenesis. The core NCLDV genes seem to have originated from different sources including homologous genes of bact

SUBMITTER: Koonin EV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2895762 | biostudies-literature | 2010

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature