The research project was originally based on a new group of viruses that the study authors discovered in the water of the Gossenköllesee in Tyrol, Austria, in 2021.
During a comprehensive study of complex single-celled microbes, scientists from the University of Innsbruck’s Department of Ecology made a groundbreaking discovery. They discovered the DNA of more than 30,000 viruses that were previously unknown, integrated into the microbes’ genome.
The study revealed that some microbes contain a significant proportion of their DNA that is made up of hidden viruses, up to 10 percent.
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