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Plant genomes enclose footprints of past infections by giant virus relatives

Author

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  • Florian Maumus

    (INRA, UR1164 URGI—Research Unit in Genomics-Info, INRA de Versailles-Grignon, Route de Saint-Cyr)

  • Aline Epert

    (INRA, UMR1318 INRA—AgroParisTech, INRA de Versailles-Grignon, Route de Saint-Cyr)

  • Fabien Nogué

    (INRA, UMR1318 INRA—AgroParisTech, INRA de Versailles-Grignon, Route de Saint-Cyr)

  • Guillaume Blanc

    (Laboratoire Information Structurale and Génomique, UMR7256 CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université)

Abstract

Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs) are eukaryotic viruses with large genomes (100 kb–2.5 Mb), which include giant Mimivirus, Megavirus and Pandoravirus. NCLDVs are known to infect animals, protists and phytoplankton but were never described as pathogens of land plants. Here, we show that the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens and the lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii have open reading frames (ORFs) with high phylogenetic affinities to NCLDV homologues. The P. patens genes are clustered in DNA stretches (up to 13 kb) containing up to 16 NCLDV-like ORFs. Molecular evolution analysis suggests that the NCLDV-like regions were acquired by horizontal gene transfer from distinct but closely related viruses that possibly define a new family of NCLDVs. Transcriptomics and DNA methylation data indicate that the NCLDV-like regions are transcriptionally inactive and are highly cytosine methylated through a mechanism not relying on small RNAs. Altogether, our data show that members of NCLDV have infected land plants.

Suggested Citation

  • Florian Maumus & Aline Epert & Fabien Nogué & Guillaume Blanc, 2014. "Plant genomes enclose footprints of past infections by giant virus relatives," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-10, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms5268
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5268
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