page_title: Virophage
hierarchical_section_title: Virophage
caption_attribution_description: English: The parasitic lifestyle of virophages. (A) When the host cell is only infected by a giant virus, the latter establishes a cytoplasmic virus factory to replicate and generates new virions, and the host cell is most likely lysed at the end of its replication cycle. (B) When the host cell is co-infected with a giant virus and its virophage, the latter parasitizes the giant virus factory. The presence of virophages could seriously impact the infectivity of the giant virus by decreasing its replication efficiency and increasing the survival of the host cell. (C) When the giant virus genome is parasitized by a provirophage, the latter is expressed during the giant virus replication. The virophage is produced from the giant virus factory and inhibits the giant virus replication, thus increasing the host cell survival. VF: Virus factory.
context_page_description: Virophages are small, double-stranded DNA viral phages that require the co-infection of another virus. The co-infecting viruses are typically giant viruses. Virophages rely on the viral replication factory of the co-infecting giant virus for their own replication. One of the characteristics of virophages is that they have a parasitic relationship with the co-infecting virus. Their dependence upon the giant virus for replication often results in the deactivation of the giant viruses. The virophage may improve the recovery and survival of the host organism.
  Unlike satellite viruses, virophages have a parasitic effect on their co-infecting virus. Virophages have been observed to render a giant virus inactive and thereby improve the condition of the host organism.
  All known virophages are grouped into the family Lavidaviridae.
context_section_description: Virophages are small, double-stranded DNA viral phages that require the co-infection of another virus. The co-infecting viruses are typically giant viruses. Virophages rely on the viral replication factory of the co-infecting giant virus for their own replication. One of the characteristics of virophages is that they have a parasitic relationship with the co-infecting virus. Their dependence upon the giant virus for replication often results in the deactivation of the giant viruses. The virophage may improve the recovery and survival of the host organism.
  Unlike satellite viruses, virophages have a parasitic effect on their co-infecting virus. Virophages have been observed to render a giant virus inactive and thereby improve the condition of the host organism.
  All known virophages are grouped into the family Lavidaviridae (from "large virus dependent or associated" + -viridae).
caption: The parasitic lifestyle of virophages [1] (A) When the host cell is only infected by a giant virus, the latter establishes a cytoplasmic virus factory to replicate and generates new virions, and the host cell is most likely lysed at the end of its replication cycle.
  (B) When the host cell is co-infected with a giant virus and its virophage, the latter parasitizes the giant virus factory. The presence of virophages could seriously impact the infectivity of the giant virus by decreasing its replication efficiency and increasing the survival of the host cell.
  (C) When the giant virus genome is parasitized by a provirophage, the latter is expressed during the giant virus replication. The virophage is produced from the giant virus factory and inhibits the giant virus replication, thus increasing the host cell survival.
   VF: Virus factory
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