Scientists at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) have discovered the existence of “vampire viruses,” according to a Monday press release.
These pathogens, known as satellite and helper viruses, operate in a symbiotic relationship, with one relying on the other for survival, according to the study. With the use of microscopes, researchers observed a bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria, attaching itself to another virus’ “neck,” a region where the capsid meets the tail.
“When I saw it, I was like, ‘I can’t believe this,’” said Tagide deCarvalho, assistant director of UMBC’s College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences core facilities. “No one has ever seen a bacteriophage — or any other virus — attach to another virus.”
First ever ‘vampire viruses’ are discovered in the wild in the US https://t.co/SeIYybOEbj pic.twitter.com/vP8ur4DMsj
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) November 7, 2023
Most satellite viruses typically possess a gene enabling them to integrate into the host cell’s genetic material, ensuring their replication upon future entries. However, this satellite bacteriophage, called MiniFlayer, lacks the gene for integration and cannot directly integrate into the host cell’s DNA, according to the study. Instead, it relies on its helper virus, MindFlayer, for support throughout its life cycle. The intricate dance between these newly discovered viruses ensures MiniFlayer’s survival, as it must be near MindFlayer every time it enters a host cell, the researchers found. (RELATED: Worm Turns Victims Into Zombies By Stealing Their DNA)
While the researchers did not directly prove the mechanism, the observation of MiniFlayer and MindFlayer’s relationship sheds light on the complexity of the viral world. Professor Ivan Erill, an author of study and professor of biological sciences at UMBC, emphasized the significance of the discovery. “Attaching now made total sense because otherwise, how are you going to guarantee that you are going to enter into the cell at the same time?” he said in a UMBC press release.
“This satellite has been tuning in and optimizing its genome to be associated with the helper for, I would say, at least 100 million years,” Erill added.