Revive 30,000 years old virus

French scientists are wary of trying to revive a pre-frozen virus in Siberia.

Giant virus Mollivirus sibericum. Photo: AFP

According to RT, the virus, called Mollivirus sibericum, is about 0.6 microns in size, more than a thousand millimeters in size, is equivalent to bacteria and can be seen under an optical microscope, so it is called a "giant virus." ". In addition, this virus can be potentially deadly, carrying 523 hereditary proteins. The flu virus usually has only 11 genes.

The virus exists in ice samples taken from a depth of 30 m below Chukotka, eastern Siberia, along with another giant prehistoric virus, Pithovirus sibericum. Sibericum Mollivirus is the second virus discovered by French scientists, and is the 4th prehistoric virus found since 2003.

Scientists are preparing to "wake" this virus, but also take great care to ensure that it will not endanger humans and animals. They decided to "lure" the virus into life by putting it in unison with the unicellular amoeba, which serves as its host. Scientists used this method to wake up Pithovirus sibericum last year.

Four prehistoric giant viruses have been found since 2003. Photo: AMU

"This finding shows that giant viruses are not uncommon and very diverse. It also shows that the ability to survive under permanent ice for long periods of time exists not only in some viruses, but perhaps a whole strain. viruses have different replication strategies, so they also have different mechanisms of infection, "said the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).

Researchers often "revive" ancient viruses to learn more about them. In 2004, US scientists revived the famous Spanish flu virus, which killed tens of millions of people early in the last century.