In addition to their scientific importance, giant viruses also hold potential for medical applications, since they do not infect humans. “One of the patents we registered at UFMG proposes using giant viruses to control and prevent amoebic infections,” says Jônatas Abrahão.
There are also initiatives aimed at identifying new enzymes with possible applications in biotechnology. “These viruses open the door to exploring other metabolic proteins that – because they are distinct and ancient = may offer clues on how to modify proteins used in biotechnology, both in the textile and food industries,” explains Otávio Thiemann.
According to the researchers, studies on viral isolation remain essential for advancing exploration of the virosphere. Since 2011, Abrahão’s group has been dedicated to the search for giant viruses, and to date, around 300 have been identified in Brazil.
The discovery of naiavirus reinforces the remarkable structural adaptations of giant viruses. Based on the genomic data now available, one possible next step is to use molecular tools to search for the virus in other environments and to investigate its potential ecological associations. “With each virus we discover, we gain a broader understanding of diversity and evolution,” concludes Abrahão.
The article Naiavirus: an enveloped giant virus with a pleomorphic, flexible tail is available online and can be read here.
More information: thiemann@ifsc.usp.br (Otávio Thiemann) and jonatas.abrahao@gmail.com (Jônatas Abrahão).
*Intern under the supervision of Tabita Said
**Intern under the supervision of Moisés Dorado
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
