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DNA AND RNA VIRUSES. "In prokaryotes, the great majority of viruses possess double-stranded (ds) DNA genomes, with a substantial minority of single-stranded (ss) DNA viruses and only limited presence of RNA viruses. In contrast, in eukaryotes, RNA viruses account for the majority of the virome diversity although ssDNA and dsDNA viruses are common as well." http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042682215000859 View in LinkedIn

MOBILE GENETIC ELEMENTS. "Various selfish elements parasitize on all cellular life forms. The relative abundances of different classes of viruses are dramatically different between prokaryotes and eukaryotes." https://lnkd.in/dsgDwFC View in LinkedIn

CRITICAL HYPOTHESIS. "Viruses and mobile elements as drivers of evolutionary transitions." https://lnkd.in/dwWBEqU View in LinkedIn

VIRAL ROLE. "A major role of viruses in the host biology has also been demonstrated in prokaryotes as illustrated by gene transduction, in particular the transfer of photosystem genes by cyanophages, the use of defective prophages as vehicles for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) known as gene transfer agents, and more generally by the recruitment of viral genes for diverse host functions." https://lnkd.in/dwWBEqU View in LinkedIn

BIG STEPS. "Major evolutionary transitions include the origin of prokaryotic and then eukaryotic cells, multicellular organisms and eusocial animals." https://lnkd.in/dwWBEqU View in LinkedIn

HUGE DERIVATION. "Sequences derived from mobile genetic elements (MGE) constitute large fractions of the genomes of many eukaryotes, e.g. up to 90% of some plant genomes and are considered to be important drivers of genome evolution." https://lnkd.in/dwWBEqU View in LinkedIn

INCREASING COMPLEXITY. "The history of life is punctuated by evolutionary transitions which engender emergence of new levels of biological organization that involves selection acting at increasingly complex ensembles of biological entities." https://lnkd.in/dwWBEqU View in LinkedIn

VIRAL PARASITE CONTRIBUTION. "Parasitic genetic elements can provide benefits to the host by protecting the host from superinfection, but also through exaptation of genetic material of the selfish elements for host functions." https://lnkd.in/dwWBEqU View in LinkedIn

UNIFIED STORY. "More generally, by identifying the small number of factors that have driven major transitions, we provide a simpler and more unified description of how life on earth has evolved." http://www.pnas.org/content/112/33/10112.full View in LinkedIn

LOVE-HATE RACE. "In large part, this coevolution takes the form of the incessant arms race during which the cellular hosts evolve multiple, in some cases highly elaborate mechanisms of resistance and defence to which the parasites respond by evolving counter-defence systems. However, cooperation between hosts and parasites complements the arms race." https://lnkd.in/dwWBEqU View in LinkedIn