Strange New Virus Could Represent 'Entirely New System of Viral Evolution'

[ScottTriGuy]

"The team found this strange virus in pig faeces; it is a type of enterovirus G (EV-G), which belongs to the family of Picornaviridae.

Many types of EV-G have previously been identified by scientists, but in their new research, the TUAT team found a "novel defective" variant with unknown flanking genes in place of the viral structural proteins EV-G viruses usually exhibit.

According to the team, this means that the new discovery – called EV-G type 2 – wouldn't be able to invade a host cell on its own; if it can't do that, and therefore propagate itself, how does it exist at all?

One explanation, the team suggests in its new paper, is the defective recombinant EV-G might exploit another virus – called a 'helper virus' – which could lend viral structural proteins to help EV-G type 2 disseminate itself."

https://www.sciencealert.com/myster...resent-entirely-new-system-of-viral-evolution

The paper:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1567134819301935?via=ihub

@Hip

 

[Hip]

Yes, I saw that study. It's interesting.

This newly-discovered enterovirus seems similar to defective interfering (DI) viruses.

DI viruses have important bits missing in their genome, and consequently lack the machinery to replicate on their own. But are able to replicate with the aid of a second helper virus. So DI viruses will accompany another virus, and both will infect a host together.

The DI virus may also have a synergistic relationship with the helper virus: although the DI virus depends on the helper, the helper may also be helped by the action of the DI virus. This is the case in dengue virus infection, where the main dengue virus is helped by the defective version of the dengue virus.


But normally DI viruses are able to create viral shells to transmit themselves. But it seems this new enterovirus does not have the genes to make any structural proteins of a viral shell, so cannot make its own viral shells. However, if it rides along with a helper virus, then I wonder if it's possible this new enterovirus might use the viral shells created by the helper.



The non-cytolytic enteroviruses found in ME/CFS are quite similar to DI viruses. Like DI viruses, non-cytolytic enterovirus has bits missing from its genome. However, the difference is that non-cytolytic enterovirus is believed to be able to replicate independently of any helper virus, so in this sense it is probably not a true DI virus.

 

[Pyrrhus]

Already existing thread here:
https://forums.phoenixrising.me/thr...-scientific-understanding.78084/#post-2237367

Note that in this case, the helper virus is physically attached to the enterovirus, creating a recombinant virus.

 

[Hip]

Note that in this case, the helper virus is physically attached to the enterovirus, creating a recombinant virus.

I understood they were two separate viruses, but they travel together. But I have only briefly glanced at the paper.

 

[Pyrrhus]

I understood they were two separate viruses, but they travel together. But I have only briefly glanced at the paper.

You're right, and I wasn't clear.

The helper (type 1) virus may travel with the novel (type 2) virus, but the authors say that phylogenetic analysis suggests that it is not the typical relationship found among defective viruses in quasi-species. Rather, they say that phylogenetic analysis suggests that it might be a relationship closer to a symbiotic or parasitic relationship between species.

I was talking about the fact that this novel enterovirus contains genes from both a coronavirus and a baculovirus, which is why it is termed a "recombinant" virus. Sorry for any confusion.