Abstract

The discovery of archaeal viruses provides insights into the fundamental biochemistry and evolution of the Archaea. Recent studies have identified a wide diversity of archaeal viruses within the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park and other high-temperature environments worldwide. These viruses are often morphologically unique and code for genes with little similarity to other known genes in the biosphere, a characteristic that has complicated efforts to trace their evolutionary history. Comparative genomics combined with structural analysis indicate that spindle-shaped virus lineages might be unique to the Archaea, whereas other icosahedral viruses might share a common lineage with viruses of Bacteria and Eukarya. These studies provide insights into the evolutionary history of viruses in all three domains of life.

Author affiliations

1. Thermal Biology Institute, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, USA.
2. Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, USA.
3. Department of Microbiology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, USA.
4. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, USA.

Correspondence to: Mark Young^1,2,3 Email: myoung@montana.edu