The discovery of giant viruses has challenged the traditional definition of viruses. This study investigated energy production in Pandoravirus massiliensis. A membrane potential was detected in purified virions, enhanced by acetyl-CoA and abolished by CCCP. Bioinformatics identified eight putative P. massiliensis proteins with low sequence identity to TCA cycle enzymes; one, ORF132, functioned as isocitrate dehydrogenase. The presence of a proton gradient raises questions about the definition of a virus.
Publisher
The ISME Journal
Published On
Authors
Sarah Aherfi, Djamal Brahim Belhaouari, Lucile Pinault, Jean-Pierre Baudin, Philippe Decloquement, Jonatas Abrahão, Philippe Colson, Anthony Levasseur, David C. Lamb, Eric Chabrière, Didier Raoult, Bernard La Scola
Tags
giant viruses
Pandoravirus massiliensis
energy production
proton gradient
isocitrate dehydrogenase
TCA cycle
viral definition
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