Scientists Discover First Lifeform Known to Eat Viruses

Viruses are apparently no exception to the dog-eat-dog world that is nature. In a recent study, scientists have found evidence that some microscopic organisms actively feed on viruses. Though this may be the first “virovore” ever documented, many others likely exist, the team says.

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from the article

By the end of their experiments, they identified a species of Halteria—a single-celled protozoan—that appeared to eat the chloroviruses. Not only did populations of the virus dwindle in the presence of the Halteria, but the number of protozoans grew at the same time, indicating that the microbes were using the virus as fuel. The Halteria also didn’t grow when the chloroviruses weren’t around. And when the team used fluorescent green dye to mark the DNA of chloroviruses before they entered the water, they could clearly see the “stomachs” of the Halteria light up afterward, seemingly confirming their viral diet.

Good.

Tau.Neutrino said:

from the article

By the end of their experiments, they identified a species of Halteria—a single-celled protozoan—that appeared to eat the chloroviruses. Not only did populations of the virus dwindle in the presence of the Halteria, but the number of protozoans grew at the same time, indicating that the microbes were using the virus as fuel. The Halteria also didn’t grow when the chloroviruses weren’t around. And when the team used fluorescent green dye to mark the DNA of chloroviruses before they entered the water, they could clearly see the “stomachs” of the Halteria light up afterward, seemingly confirming their viral diet.

Yep, good.

I see that this is not the same as incorporating virus material into host genome (ERVs) which could be said to be “eating”, but is quite different.

Hope to see more research along the same lines.

Something went wrong with the link I posted

This is the correct link

https://gizmodo.com/first-lifeform-known-to-eat-viruses-vivovore-1849944677

Scientists Discover First Lifeform Known to Eat Viruses

Sorry about that.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Something went wrong with the link I posted

This is the correct link

https://gizmodo.com/first-lifeform-known-to-eat-viruses-vivovore-1849944677

Scientists Discover First Lifeform Known to Eat Viruses

Sorry about that.

I sent this to some folks!

Far from being a simple curiosity, the team’s research could have some important implications. These viruses are already known to play an integral part in their freshwater environments, since they recycle carbon and other nutrients, which effectively prevents the energy provided from these nutrients from reaching other, larger forms of life. But if living things are eating these viruses, which are then eaten by bigger organisms and so on, then some of the nutrients and energy they would normally recycle might instead work their way up the food chain.

“If this is happening at the scale that we think it could be, it should completely change our view on global carbon cycling,” DeLong said.

Wow!