In evolutionary biology, all life on Earth is theoretically part of a single phylogenetic tree, indicating common ancestry.

Giant viruses are so named because of the size of their genome. (Tumeggy/Science Photo Library/Getty Images) Researchers have ...

A giant virus discovered in Japan is adding fuel to the provocative idea that viruses helped create complex life. Named ushikuvirus, it infects amoebae and shows unique traits that connect different ...

Ushikuvirus, an amoeba-infecting giant virus, joins the family of giant viruses that may have driven the evolution of complex cells. The origin of life on Earth becomes even more fascinating and ...

Researchers recently discovered that a virus, FloV-SA2, encodes one of the proteins needed to make ribosomes, the central engines in all cells that translate genetic information into proteins, the ...

The origin of life on Earth becomes even more fascinating and complex as we peer into the mysterious world of viruses. Said to have existed since living cells first appeared, these microscopic ...

Scientists are uncovering viral features that blur the boundary between living and non-living, from giant viruses with protein-making tools to mysterious RNA entities in our microbiomes. These ...

Viruses in different life cycles can promote elemental cycling (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) by viral lysing or auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) metabolisms. Viruses can increase microbial ...

In cells, ribosomes (shown as grey blobs) read RNA messages and convert the information into proteins. The researchers hypothesize that during infection, one component of the ribosome, eL40 (green ...