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  • Book
  • © 2012

Viruses: Essential Agents of Life

  • Most recent empirical knowledge on viruses and their role in evolution and environment
  • Assembles most leading experts in their field
  • Changes biology paradigm from cell first to virus first perspective

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Table of contents (20 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
  2. Quasispecies Dynamics of RNA Viruses

    • Miguel Angel Martínez, Gloria Martrus, Elena Capel, Mariona Parera, Sandra Franco, Maria Nevot
    Pages 21-42
  3. The Origin of Virions and Virocells: The Escape Hypothesis Revisited

    • Patrick Forterre, Mart Krupovic
    Pages 43-60
  4. Scratching the Surface of Biology’s Dark Matter

    • Merry Youle, Matthew Haynes, Forest Rohwer
    Pages 61-81
  5. Virus Universe: Can It Be Constructed from a Limited Number of Viral Architectures

    • Hanna M. Oksanen, Maija K. Pietilä, Ana Sencilo, Nina S. Atanasova, Elina Roine, Dennis H. Bamford
    Pages 83-105
  6. The Addiction Module as a Social Force

    • Luis P. Villarreal
    Pages 107-145
  7. Viral Integration and Consequences on Host Gene Expression

    • Sébastien Desfarges, Angela Ciuffi
    Pages 147-175
  8. The Concept of Virus in the Post-Megavirus Era

    • Jean-Michel Claverie, Chantal Abergel
    Pages 187-202
  9. Unpacking the Baggage: Origin and Evolution of Giant Viruses

    • Jonathan Filée, Michael Chandler
    Pages 203-216
  10. LTR Retroelement-Derived Protein-Coding Genes and Vertebrate Evolution

    • Domitille Chalopin, Marta Tomaszkiewicz, Delphine Galiana, Jean-Nicolas Volff
    Pages 269-282
  11. Koala Retrovirus Endogenisation in Action

    • Rachael E. Tarlinton
    Pages 283-291
  12. The Evolutionary Interplay Between Exogenous and Endogenous Sheep Betaretroviruses

    • Alessia Armezzani, Lita Murphy, Thomas E. Spencer, Massimo Palmarini, Frédérick Arnaud
    Pages 293-307
  13. Endogenous Retroviruses and the Epigenome

    • Andrew B. Conley, I. King Jordan
    Pages 309-323
  14. From Viruses to Genes: Syncytins

    • Philippe Pérot, Pierre-Adrien Bolze, François Mallet
    Pages 325-361
  15. Hepatitis G Virus or GBV-C: A Natural Anti-HIV Interfering Virus

    • Omar Bagasra, Muhammad Sheraz, Donald Gene Pace
    Pages 363-388

About this book

A 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 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.

Reviews

“Viruses: Essential Agents of life … is a great way to kick off the next 100 years of virology, with nary a reductionist thought to be found within its 427 pages. … readers will find many exciting reasons to be a virologist (amateur or professional) at the dawn of the 21st century.” (Welkin Johnson, Small Things Considered, schaechter.asmblog.org, January, 2013)

“It is a compilation of 19 chapters, each written by one or more experts, and each comprising an overview, or opinion or essay on a different facet of the general theme. … this book offers a topically relevant compendium for biologists, evolutionary biologists, geneticists and molecular biologists interested in how viruses have contributed to host evolution and, perhaps, even to the origins of life on Earth.” (Frank Ryan, Symbiosis, Vol. 60, 2013)

Editors and Affiliations

  • Telos - Philosophische Praxis, Bürmoos, Austria

    Günther Witzany

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access