Sputnik virophage

Mimivirus-dependent virus Sputnik
Virus classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Varidnaviria
Kingdom: Bamfordvirae
Phylum: Preplasmiviricota
Class: Maveriviricetes
Order: Priklausovirales
Family: Lavidaviridae
Genus: Sputnikvirus
Species:
Mimivirus-dependent virus Sputnik
Member virus
  • Sputnik 1
  • Sputnik 2
  • Sputnik 3
A mimivirus with two satellite Sputnik virophages (arrows) [1]

Mimivirus-dependent virus Sputnik (from Russian спутник "satellite") is a subviral agent that reproduces in amoeba cells that are already infected by a certain helper virus; Sputnik uses the helper virus's machinery for reproduction and inhibits replication of the helper virus. It is known as a virophage, in analogy to the term bacteriophage.[2]

Viruses like Sputnik that depend on co-infection of the host cell by helper viruses are known as satellite viruses. At its discovery in a Paris water-cooling tower in 2008, Sputnik was the first known satellite virus that inhibited replication of its helper virus and thus acted as a parasite of that virus. In analogy, it was called a virophage.[2]

Sputnik virophages were found infecting giant viruses of Mimiviridae group A. However, they are able to grow in amoebae infected by Mimiviridae of any of the groups A, B, and C.[3]

  1. ^ Duponchel, S. and Fischer, M.G. (2019) "Viva lavidaviruses! Five features of virophages that parasitize giant DNA viruses". PLoS pathogens, 15(3). doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1007592. Material was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference scola was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference MG_Zamilon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).