Abstract
The genus Coccolithovirus is a recently discovered group of viruses that infect the globally important marine calcifying microalga Emiliania huxleyi. Among the 472 predicted genes of the 407,339-base pair genome are a variety of unexpected genes, most notably those involved in biosynthesis of ceramide, a sphingolipid known to induce apoptosis. Uniquely for algal viruses, it also contains six RNA polymerase subunits and a novel promoter, suggesting this virus encodes its own transcription machinery. Microarray transcriptomic analysis reveals that 65% of the predicted virus-encoded genes are expressed during lytic infection of E. huxleyi.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Apoptosis
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Base Composition
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Ceramides / biosynthesis
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Computational Biology
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DNA, Viral / chemistry
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DNA, Viral / genetics
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DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / genetics
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Eukaryota / virology
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Gene Expression
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Gene Expression Profiling
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Genes, Viral
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Genome, Viral*
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Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
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Peptide Hydrolases / genetics
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Phycodnaviridae / classification
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Phycodnaviridae / genetics*
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Phycodnaviridae / physiology*
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Promoter Regions, Genetic
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Protein Subunits
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Sequence Analysis, DNA*
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Sphingolipids / biosynthesis
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Transcription, Genetic*
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Virus Replication
Substances
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Ceramides
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DNA, Viral
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Protein Subunits
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Sphingolipids
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DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
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Peptide Hydrolases