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World's Largest Virus
Gavinsblog writes "New Scientist is reporting that the largest virus yet discovered may have been found in a water tower in the UK. Dubbed the 'Mimivirus', it may be related to Smallpox. It is not yet known if it causes disease."
Can it be seen with the naked eye? : )
seriouslyexcited.net
Kathy Kinney?
(For those who don't know, she plays Mimi on the Drew Carey Show).
You should never take life too seriously - You'll never get out of it alive.
No, methinks Drew Carey had a hand in this... or perhaps Mr. Wick?
Pig!
Well, someone had to say it ...
eventually viruses will evolve to the point that they can pass chemical "message darts" to one another thereby learning to adapt to environmental changes more rapidly than crude evolution would allow. In time these intelligent viruses would conquer all life un-gluing it and re-gluing it together in ways that benefit the virus best. These viruses would pose a threat to humanity ofcourse... but I bet we could hold them off with food additives or something.
"You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas"
Sen. Davy Crocket to US Congress, Nov. 1, 1835
Are my Windows installations vulnerable to this one, too? If it's really that big, then it probably won't fit through port 135 even if I leave it open, right?
How are you going to keep them down on the farm once they've seen Karl Hungus?
Here's how it's killing the poor infected cells: by bursting them.
I doubt that we will ever figure out - and I suspect that even if we did figure out we couldn't do much about it
Scientists announced that because the virus is coded for NT4, there will be no efforts create a vaccine and that patients should upgrade their immune systems or turn off their nasal port.
__ Someday, but not this morning, I'll finally learn to use the preview button.
Set Janeway on it.
"...largest virus yet discovered may have been found..."
Could not possibly be very big if they don't know whether they've found it.
TiVo Upgrades
So, are larger virii better or worse? I would think that as far as detection... larger is better. But how about as far as being killed by immuno-response, and/or reproducing, complexity, etc?
The article indicates that the virus is larger DNA-wise... which indicates higher complexity, possibly a better ability to adapt?
It's interesting that the virus is big... but what consequences does this have medically?
John Belushi in a Virus Suit walk in and start acting tough?
It's Christmas everyday with BitTorrent.
"It is not yet known if it causes disease."
I thought by definition a virus caused disease. It kills cells, injects its own viral code, bursts, and spreads. If this doesn't do that, is it a virus? If it does, isn't it causing disease?
Slashdot, educate me!
So all those emails I've been getting are right after all! Size DOES matter!
Viruses are pretty much inert until they dock with and infect a cell. What possible advantage would a "chemical dart" be to an inert particle? If viruses evolved to have a "chemical dart," what would it do with it? How could it evolve faster then "crude evolution," whatever that is? Looks like bad science fiction to me--although bacteria do some of this stuff, sorta. Bacteria can do something called quorum sensing where they detect chemical signals from other bacteria which can then regulate gene expression. Bacteria can also do some limited swapping of genes with other bacteria; neither is something a virus can do. Bacteria aren't taking over the world unless you mean what Gould said about it still being the age of bacteria. They're also not exactly what we'd call intelligent, either.
I've just been trolled, right? Oh well.
This isn't very deep, but when I first read the title of this story, what leapt to mind was a Sidney Harris cartoon from Einstein Simplified. Two scientists (you can tell they're scientists, they're wearing labcoats) are looking into a cage the size of a rabbit cage. One of them is saying, "Biggest damn virus I've ever seen!" Pity I can't find a copy of it at the moment.
I'd like to expand on your comment. You're right on for some viruses, but there are others that work differently.
Some viruses are lytic; others not. It is possible for an infected cell to become virus factory that continues to live. There are some viruses that become latent. They infect a cell and become dormant, sometimes even for years. Shingles is a localized outbreak of latent chickenpox that can occur in old age.
Some viruses have RNA in them instead of DNA. West Nile, HIV and influenza are examples.
"Viruses" is the plural of "virus." "Virii" is a h4x0r term that does not follow any English or Latin declension.
As for evolutionary advantage, there must be some since this virus exists, but there are also tiny viruses. I think it's better to consider ecological niches. More DNA allows for more functions, but it is also burdensome. It takes more energy to reproduce that DNA, and there are more chances that for maladaptive mistakes. Different organisms end up with different adaptations, including genome size.
2. Some viruses use RNA instead of DNA.
3. Some are released from the host cell via non-lethal means (budding, though budding often is lethal). Many plant viruses require mechanical damage, often from the mouthparts of an insect, to get out. Another method for plant viruses is to travel through cytoplasmic connections between cells, a process that doesn't require lysis (how could a virus burst a plant cell wall anyway?).
4. Some viruses, instead of reproducing, go latent by integrating into the host DNA. Sometimes this triggers the host cell into becoming cancerous. In this case, the host, rather than bursting, becomes "immortal."
"I'm so moist I'm sticking to the leather." -Kermit the Frog on The Late Late Show
On the related topic of virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has struck more fear for people in South East Asia. It has spreaded to many parts of the globe. You may find out more at World Health Organization (WHO). I'm not trying to spread fear, but so far there's no treatment for it, and the infectious agent hasn't been found yet. So watch for your personal hygiene. FAQ here. More news at CNN.