Scientists Discover First Giant Virus in Finnish Soil

For the first time in Finland, researchers at the University of Jyväskylä’s Nanoscience Center have isolated a giant virus, which they have named Jyvaskylavirus. This discovery suggests that giant viruses may be more widespread in northern regions than previously believed. It also highlights how much remains unknown about the structure, origin, and function of many such biological entities, the journal eLife reported.

Viruses are ubiquitous in nature. While most naturally occurring viruses pose no threat to humans, they play vital roles in ecosystems. In recent years, scientists have identified giant viruses, some as large as bacteria, that infect amoebas and other microscopic organisms. To date, most known giant viruses have been discovered in Europe and South America, but their life cycles and distribution patterns remain poorly understood.

The study, initiated at the University of Jyväskylä, is the first to isolate giant viruses from Finland. The giant virus, named Jyvaskylavirus, was discovered when environmental samples were mixed with a culture of amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii. The virus particle is 200 nanometres in diameter, about twice the size of influenza or coronavirus.

 “Through an international collaboration, we elucidated the genome and structure of the Jyvaskylavirus, which was found to be related to Marseilleviruses previously isolated from France. Other new giant viruses were also detected in environmental samples,” rejoices professor Lotta-Riina Sundberg from the University of Jyväskylä.

The finding indicates that giant viruses are more prevalent than thought in soil and water, even in northern environments.

“The discovery will help to understand the interactions between microbes and the role of viruses in regulating populations of all living organisms, as well as providing new insights into the structure of giant viruses,” says Sundberg.

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