Viruses found in the ocean that scientists have never encountered: what is unique about them

Among the unexplored mysteries of nature, viruses are the most mysterious and unpredictable. Recently, scientists were stunned by the news - unique mirusviruses, previously unknown, have been discovered in the oceans.

Mirusviruses live on the sunlit surface of the seas and oceans. But the most interesting thing is that, according to scientists, the study of mirusviruses will help "shed light" on the available information about the origin of another type of virus, very common among humans. Details are told by IFLScience.

What is a mirusvirus

The term mirusvirus (mirusviricota) in Latin means "remarkable", "strange" virus. Scientists have found that they are related to giant viruses and herpes viruses at the same time.

Representatives of the French National Center for Scientific Research have published information according to which the microbes found belong to duplodnaveria. These are large double-stranded DNA viruses, which also include herpes viruses.

How dangerous are mirusviruses

According to preliminary studies, mirusviruses do not pose a threat to mankind. They infect single-celled plankton. But scientists, conducting a retrospective analysis, suggest that this is how the ancestors of herpes once infected marine organisms, and then there was a massive spread of herpes. Currently, almost half of humanity is infected with the virus.

The new group of viruses is unique because it is also related to giant viruses.

Tom Delmont, an expert on microbial ecology and author of the study, said the discovery of mirusviruses is another reminder of how far humanity is from fully understanding the evolutionary and ecological complexity of even the most common double-stranded DNA viruses.

The Tara Ocean Expedition collected more than 35,000 samples of algae, plankton and viruses from all over the world. Mirusviruses need further detailed study.

Earlier OBOZREVATEL told that at the bottom of the ocean discovered a hole through which water penetrates.

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