Scholarlink

<p>The recent discovery of widespread giant virus sequences integrated into the genomes of diverse eukaryotes, and in particular marine lineages, has reignited interest in the molecular mechanisms underlying giant virus–host interactions. The brown alga <i>Ectocarpus</i> represents a compelling and historically rich model for such studies. As early as the 1970s, it was used to investigate latent infections by giant double-stranded DNA viruses, with elegant classical genetics and electron microscopy approaches revealing key aspects of virus–host life cycle coordination. However, progress was limited by the lack of molecular and genomic tools. In this review, we revisit these foundational studies through the lens of recent technological advances, including the development of genetic and genomic resources for brown algae. These tools now enable mechanistic insights into giant viral integration,&#xa0;latency, activation and host response. We highlight how <i>Ectocarpus</i> and related systems can illuminate both the evolutionary and ecological dimensions of virus–host dynamics, with a particular emphasis on the molecular and genetic mechanisms that mediate these complex interactions.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Revisiting giant virus-host dynamics in brown algae: old stories and new perspectives

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月3日

查看全文
  • Carole Duchêne,
  • Liping Wang,
  • Susana M Coelho

摘要

The recent discovery of widespread giant virus sequences integrated into the genomes of diverse eukaryotes, and in particular marine lineages, has reignited interest in the molecular mechanisms underlying giant virus–host interactions. The brown alga Ectocarpus represents a compelling and historically rich model for such studies. As early as the 1970s, it was used to investigate latent infections by giant double-stranded DNA viruses, with elegant classical genetics and electron microscopy approaches revealing key aspects of virus–host life cycle coordination. However, progress was limited by the lack of molecular and genomic tools. In this review, we revisit these foundational studies through the lens of recent technological advances, including the development of genetic and genomic resources for brown algae. These tools now enable mechanistic insights into giant viral integration, latency, activation and host response. We highlight how Ectocarpus and related systems can illuminate both the evolutionary and ecological dimensions of virus–host dynamics, with a particular emphasis on the molecular and genetic mechanisms that mediate these complex interactions.