Scientists have discovered hundreds of mysterious giant viruses in oceans around the world

Scientists from the University of Miami have identified hundreds of previously unknown giant viruses in oceans around the world. Among them are 230 new varieties that science was not aware of before.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to Gazeta.ru, the work was published in the journal Nature npj Viruses.

Giant viruses received this name due to their impressive size and complexity: they are larger and genetically richer than most known viruses. During the study, scientists not only discovered 230 new viruses but also identified 569 previously unknown proteins, nine of which participate in the process of photosynthesis.

This means that some viruses are capable of "hacking" the photosynthetic mechanisms of their hosts - such as phytoplankton - and using them for their own survival. Considering that phytoplankton produces a significant portion of oxygen on Earth and serves as the foundation of marine food chains, such viruses can have an enormous impact on the global ecosystem.

The discovery was made possible thanks to the work of marine biologist Benjamin Minch and virologist Mohammad Muniruzzaman, who used specialized software to analyze samples of seawater. The new viruses were found near primitive marine organisms - such as algae, amoebas, and flagellates - and, as it turned out, play an important role in the life of the oceanic ecosystem.

"If we better understand how giant viruses interact with algae and other ocean microbes, we can more accurately predict and possibly control harmful algal blooms that pose a threat to human health both in Florida and worldwide," explained Muniruzzaman.

Scientists classified most of the new viruses into two already known groups - Imitervirales and Algavirales. The first of these is distinguished by particularly complex genetics and the ability to adapt to various types of hosts.

"We found that giant viruses have genes responsible for cellular functions - such as carbon metabolism and photosynthesis - which were previously thought to be characteristic only of living cells," concluded Minch.

According to the researchers, we are only beginning to understand the scale of viral diversity in the oceans. Each milliliter of seawater contains thousands of viruses, and many of them are yet to be discovered. New analysis methods developed as part of this research could become an important tool in monitoring pollution and pathogens in the aquatic environment.