Special Guest Seminar with Prof. Eugene V. Koonin
Date:
Lecture / Seminar
Time: 11:00-12:00
Title: "Global structure and evolution of the virosphere"
Location: Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research
Lecturer: Prof. Eugene V. Koonin
Organizer: Department of Molecular Genetics
Abstract: Viruses and virus-like mobile genetic elements are ubiquitous parasites (and som ... Read more Viruses and virus-like mobile genetic elements are ubiquitous parasites (and sometime symbionts) of all cellular life forms and the most abundant biological entities on earth. The recent, unprecedented advances of comparative genomics and metagenomics have led to the discovery of diverse novel groups of viruses and a rapid expansion of the chartered region of the virosphere. These discoveries provide for a vastly improved understanding of the evolutionary relationships within the virosphere. Arguably, we are approaching the point when the global architecture of the virus world can be outlined in its entirety, and the key evolutionary events in each of its domains can be reconstructed. I will present such an outline of the global organization of the virosphere and the corresponding megataxonomy, including 6 distinct virus realms, that has been recently approved by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, as well as some new candidates. The expansion of the prokaryotic virosphere that is being shown to include many groups of viruses, particularly, those with RNA genomes, previously thought to be eukaryote-specific, will be emphasized. I will further discuss the position of viruses within the wider space of replicators and the recent dramatic expansion of the “alternative virosphere” that includes viroids and diverse viroid-like viruses that seem to have evolved on multiple, independent occasions. Close abstract
