“Mirusviruses: Beneficial Ocean Viruses Regulating Plankton Communities for Ecosystem Balance”

THE Mirusvirus viruses are composed of a mixture of characteristics of giant viruses, commonly found in the oceans. Tom Delmont, researcher in microbial ecology at the CNRS, underlined the interest of this discovery. He explained that Mirusviruses are the ocean complement of herpes viruses, which infect humans. This means that even if these viruses are present in water, there is no risk for humans to contract them. Mirusviruses are beneficial to plankton communities in the oceans, which are essential to the survival of our ecosystems. This type of virus Mirusvirus infect plankton cells, which then die and release nutrients. These nutrients are reused by the rest of the plankton community, which allows the latter to regenerate and stay active. According to Tom Delmont, this regulates plankton communities in the oceans, which is important for maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem (source 1).

Research on the evolution of these viruses is ongoing. Morgan Gaïa, microbiologist at the National Sequencing Center, pointed out that the oceans are still largely unknown in terms of ecosystems and that this is all the more true for viruses. For decades, research has mainly focused on ways to fight viruses, but in recent years, we increasingly realize their importance in the regulation of ecosystems. The next step in this exciting discovery is to grow these viruses. The goal is to learn more about their impact on ocean biodiversity and on the regulation of plankton communities. This discovery opens exciting new perspectives for researchers and scientists working in the field of marine biodiversity. She also emphasizes the importance of continue to explore the oceans to better understand their crucial role in the global ecosystem.