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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

The giant Medusavirus turns defenceless cells to ‘stone’

Novel virus extracted from a hot spring bears thousands of unique spikes.
3D reconstruction of the Medusavirus particle

A 3D reconstruction of the Medusavirus particle showcases its thousands of external spikes, which protrude roughly 14 nanometres from the particle’s surface. Credit: G. Yoshikawa et al./J. Virol. (CC BY 4.0)

A microscopic behemoth that can turn amoebae into stone-like cysts is shaking up the virus family tree. Scientists have named it the Medusavirus.

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Nature 566, 429 (2019)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-00591-2

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