000 04574nam a22005175i 4500
001 978-94-007-4899-6
003 DE-He213
005 20140220083347.0
007 cr nn 008mamaa
008 121116s2012 ne | s |||| 0|eng d
020 _a9789400748996
_9978-94-007-4899-6
024 7 _a10.1007/978-94-007-4899-6
_2doi
050 4 _aQH301-705
072 7 _aPSA
_2bicssc
072 7 _aSCI086000
_2bisacsh
082 0 4 _a570
_223
100 1 _aWitzany, Günther.
_eeditor.
245 1 0 _aViruses: Essential Agents of Life
_h[electronic resource] /
_cedited by Günther Witzany.
264 1 _aDordrecht :
_bSpringer Netherlands :
_bImprint: Springer,
_c2012.
300 _aXVI, 427 p. 62 illus., 31 illus. in color.
_bonline resource.
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
347 _atext file
_bPDF
_2rda
505 0 _aPreface -- 1. Revolutionary struggle for existence: introduction to four intriguing puzzles in virus research -- 2. Quasispecies dynamics of RNA viruses -- 3. The origin of virions and virocells: the escape hypothesis revisited -- 4. Scratching the Surface of Biology's Dark Matter -- 5. Virus universe: can it be constructed from a limited number of viral architectures -- 6. The addiction module as a social force -- 7. Viral integration and consequences on host gene expression -- 8. Persistent plant viruses:  molecular hitchhikers or epigenetic elements? -- 9. The concept of virus in the post-Megavirus era -- 10. Unpacking the baggage : Origin and Evolution of Giant Viruses -- 11. Megavirales composing a fourth domain of life: Mimiviridae and Marseilleviridae -- 12. On viruses, bats and men: a natural history of food-borne viral infections -- 13. LTR retroelement-derived protein-coding genes and vertebrate evolution -- 14. Koala retrovirus endogenisation in action -- 15. The evolutionary interplay between exogenous and endogenous sheep betaretroviruses -- 16. Endogenous retroviruses and the epigenome -- 17. From viruses to genes: syncytins -- 18. Hepatitis G Virus or GBV-C: A Natural Anti-HIV Interfering Virus -- 19. Salutary Contributions of Viruses to Medicine and Public Health -- 20. From Molecular Entities to Competent Agents: Viral Infection-Derived Consortia Act as Natural Genetic Engineers.
520 _aA renaissance of virus research is taking centre stage in biology. Empirical data from the last decade indicate the important roles of viruses, both in the evolution of all life and as symbionts or co-evolutionary partners of host organisms. There is increasing evidence that all cellular life is colonized by exogenous and/or endogenous viruses in a non-lytic but persistent lifestyle. Viruses and viral parts form the most numerous genetic matter on this planet. Viruses have long been considered as disease causing pathogens with often epidemic consequences and major enemies of living organisms. Viruses are now considered to play major roles in the evolution of life. Because they have genes that are not found in any cellular organism they seem to be remnants of early stages of life on earth. Besides their disease causing features and actions as genetic parasites viruses have lifestyles that are clearly symbiotic and even symbiogenetic. Increasing empirical data suggest that some viruses such as endogenous retroviruses and non-retroviral RNA viruses and even DNA viruses prefer cellular genomes as habitat. They determine genetic host (group) identity and genetic host features. Viruses and virus-related modules such as mobile genetic elements and other repeat sequences identified in intronic regions of host genomes play important roles in gene regulation and genetic content (re)arrangement. This book exemplifies some astonishing key features of viruses acting as essential agents of life.
650 0 _aLife sciences.
650 0 _aMedical parasitology.
650 0 _aMedical virology.
650 0 _aEvolution (Biology).
650 0 _aMicrobiology.
650 0 _aMicrobial genetics.
650 1 4 _aLife Sciences.
650 2 4 _aLife Sciences, general.
650 2 4 _aVirology.
650 2 4 _aEvolutionary Biology.
650 2 4 _aMicrobiology.
650 2 4 _aParasitology.
650 2 4 _aMicrobial Genetics and Genomics.
710 2 _aSpringerLink (Online service)
773 0 _tSpringer eBooks
776 0 8 _iPrinted edition:
_z9789400748989
856 4 0 _uhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4899-6
912 _aZDB-2-SBL
999 _c104828
_d104828