Medusavirus and the origin of species

I found this sick Atlantic article about virus that turns stuff to stone. This virus is called medusavirus. It is interesting partially because of its size- it has acquired advanced mechanisms from bacteria and more evolved cells. For example, the medusavirus has stolen 5 histones. Because the virus predominantly infects amoebas (and turns them to "stone" aka causes them to defensively shrivel and harden), it is theorized that these histones originated as amoeba histones. Examining the medusavirus genome proves this to be at least partially true, because there have been over 50 incidences of genetic crossover between the amoebas and the virus. The Atlantic speculates, however, that if some of the histones originated in the virus itself this virus (among other large viruses like it) could be proof of the origin of species. If these viruses have self-containing and high level histones and aspects of replication then they could have been part of the building blocks of the first species.

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/03/giant-medusavirus-hosts-turn-to-stone/585289/

Anja Zehfuss
3/20