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ESI Special Topics, June 2007
Citing URL: http://www.esi-topics.com/erf/2007/june07-DidierRaoult.html

From •>>June 2007

Didier RaoultDidier Raoult answers a few questions about this month's fast moving front in the field of Microbiology. The author has also sent along images of their work.

Microbiology
Article: The 1.2-megabase genome sequence of mimivirus
Authors: Raoult, D;Audic, S;Robert, C;Abergel, C;Renesto, P;Ogata, H;La Scola, B;Suzan, M;Claverie, JM
Journal: SCIENCE, 306 (5700): 1344-1350, NOV 19 2004
Addresses:
Univ Mediterranee, CNRS, UMR 6020, Unite Rickettsies, F-13385 Marseille 05, France.
Univ Mediterranee, CNRS, UMR 6020, Unite Rickettsies, F-13385 Marseille 05, France.
Inst Biol Struct & Microbiol, CNRS, UPR 2589, F-13402 Marseille, France.

•>Read a comment about this paper from coauthor Jean-Michel Claverie.


ST:  Why do you think your paper is highly cited?

This is the biggest virus genome published so far.

ST:  Could you summarize the significance of your paper in layman’s terms?

It challenges the definition of viruses and postulates that viruses are issued from a 4th domain of life.

ST:  How did you become involved in this research and were there successes or failures?

We were tracking intramoebal bacteria as causes of pneumonia. This gram positive bacterium was a virus!

ST:  Where do you see your research leading in the future?

We would like to help redefining viruses.

ST:  Are there any social or political implications of your research?

Yes, it may be a human pathogen.End

Professeur Didier Raoult
Président de Université de la Méditerranée
Faculté de Médecine
Directeur de Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS
Marseille, France

A Closer Look...
A closer look... Below are images sent in by Didier Raoult which correspond with the featured paper, or current research.

Figure 1:

Figure 1: A. polyphage + mimivirus 16 h post infection. Green polyclonal anti-body, blue DAPI, red amoeba cells.  

Figure 2:
Figure 2: Negative staining in transmission electronic microscope.  

Figure 3:
Figure 3: Mimivirus with ruthenium red staining (transmission electronic microscope).  
   

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ESI Special Topics, June 2007
Citing URL: http://www.esi-topics.com/erf/2007/june07-DidierRaoult.html
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