Viruses of Haloarchaea
In hypersaline environments, haloarchaea (halophilic members of the Archaea) are the dominant organisms, and the viruses that infect them, haloarchaeoviruses are at least ten times more abundant. Since their discovery in 1974, described haloarchaeoviruses include head-tailed, pleomorphic, spherical...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2014-11-01
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| Series: | Life |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/4/4/681 |
| _version_ | 1817987786602446848 |
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| author | Alison W. S. Luk Timothy J. Williams Susanne Erdmann R. Thane Papke Ricardo Cavicchioli |
| author_facet | Alison W. S. Luk Timothy J. Williams Susanne Erdmann R. Thane Papke Ricardo Cavicchioli |
| author_sort | Alison W. S. Luk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In hypersaline environments, haloarchaea (halophilic members of the Archaea) are the dominant organisms, and the viruses that infect them, haloarchaeoviruses are at least ten times more abundant. Since their discovery in 1974, described haloarchaeoviruses include head-tailed, pleomorphic, spherical and spindle-shaped morphologies, representing Myoviridae, Siphoviridae, Podoviridae, Pleolipoviridae, Sphaerolipoviridae and Fuselloviridae families. This review overviews current knowledge of haloarchaeoviruses, providing information about classification, morphotypes, macromolecules, life cycles, genetic manipulation and gene regulation, and host-virus responses. In so doing, the review incorporates knowledge from laboratory studies of isolated viruses, field-based studies of environmental samples, and both genomic and metagenomic analyses of haloarchaeoviruses. What emerges is that some haloarchaeoviruses possess unique morphological and life cycle properties, while others share features with other viruses (e.g., bacteriophages). Their interactions with hosts influence community structure and evolution of populations that exist in hypersaline environments as diverse as seawater evaporation ponds, to hot desert or Antarctic lakes. The discoveries of their wide-ranging and important roles in the ecology and evolution of hypersaline communities serves as a strong motivator for future investigations of both laboratory-model and environmental systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:26:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-245374198bfd4c129ce31ffcbba3cae9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:26:12Z |
| publishDate | 2014-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-245374198bfd4c129ce31ffcbba3cae92022-12-22T02:22:44ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292014-11-014468171510.3390/life4040681life4040681Viruses of HaloarchaeaAlison W. S. Luk0Timothy J. Williams1Susanne Erdmann2R. Thane Papke3Ricardo Cavicchioli4School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, AustraliaSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, AustraliaSchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, AustraliaDepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3125, USASchool of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, AustraliaIn hypersaline environments, haloarchaea (halophilic members of the Archaea) are the dominant organisms, and the viruses that infect them, haloarchaeoviruses are at least ten times more abundant. Since their discovery in 1974, described haloarchaeoviruses include head-tailed, pleomorphic, spherical and spindle-shaped morphologies, representing Myoviridae, Siphoviridae, Podoviridae, Pleolipoviridae, Sphaerolipoviridae and Fuselloviridae families. This review overviews current knowledge of haloarchaeoviruses, providing information about classification, morphotypes, macromolecules, life cycles, genetic manipulation and gene regulation, and host-virus responses. In so doing, the review incorporates knowledge from laboratory studies of isolated viruses, field-based studies of environmental samples, and both genomic and metagenomic analyses of haloarchaeoviruses. What emerges is that some haloarchaeoviruses possess unique morphological and life cycle properties, while others share features with other viruses (e.g., bacteriophages). Their interactions with hosts influence community structure and evolution of populations that exist in hypersaline environments as diverse as seawater evaporation ponds, to hot desert or Antarctic lakes. The discoveries of their wide-ranging and important roles in the ecology and evolution of hypersaline communities serves as a strong motivator for future investigations of both laboratory-model and environmental systems.http://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/4/4/681viral lineageviral evolutionvirus life cyclecapsid proteinpersistenttemperatevirulent infectionCRISPRhost defenseevasion invasion mechanismintegrasegenome variationsaltyhalophile |
| spellingShingle | Alison W. S. Luk Timothy J. Williams Susanne Erdmann R. Thane Papke Ricardo Cavicchioli Viruses of Haloarchaea Life viral lineage viral evolution virus life cycle capsid protein persistent temperate virulent infection CRISPR host defense evasion invasion mechanism integrase genome variation salty halophile |
| title | Viruses of Haloarchaea |
| title_full | Viruses of Haloarchaea |
| title_fullStr | Viruses of Haloarchaea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Viruses of Haloarchaea |
| title_short | Viruses of Haloarchaea |
| title_sort | viruses of haloarchaea |
| topic | viral lineage viral evolution virus life cycle capsid protein persistent temperate virulent infection CRISPR host defense evasion invasion mechanism integrase genome variation salty halophile |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/4/4/681 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alisonwsluk virusesofhaloarchaea AT timothyjwilliams virusesofhaloarchaea AT susanneerdmann virusesofhaloarchaea AT rthanepapke virusesofhaloarchaea AT ricardocavicchioli virusesofhaloarchaea |