&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Scientists discovered an ocean virus with the longest tail ever found, 19 times the length of the COVID-19 virus")
Scientists studying the Pacific Ocean have found a virus that is unlike any seen before. Named PelV-1 (longest tail), it infects microscopic plankton and has a tail that is longer than any other known virus.
What makes PelV-1 unique?
Researchers found PelV-1 in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, near Hawaii at a site called Station ALOHA. The virus infects Pelagodinium, a type of plankton. Its capsid the protein shell that carries genetic material, is about 200 nanometres wide. But what shocked scientists is its tail, it is measured 2.3 micrometres, which is about 19 times longer than the coronavirus that caused COVID-19 that was 200 nanometres. As reported by the Economic Times.
Time-lapse imaging showed that the tail helps the virus attach to its host cell. Interestingly, newly formed viruses inside the plankton appear tail-less. This suggests the tail is built only after the virus exits its host.
Why is this discovery important?
Viruses that infect dinoflagellates like Pelagodinium are extremely rare. So far, only two other large DNA viruses are known to target this group. Understanding PelV-1 can help scientists learn more about:
Trending Stories
)
'Iranian attack a dangerous escalation', Kuwait warns after Tehran again fires missiles
)
Indian man sends explicit text to 14-year-old in UK, gets caught while trying to meet her: VIDEO
)
Iran targets US military bases with missile and drones as Kuwait, Bahrain intercepts attack: What's happening
)
Who is Jin Ze? Chinese TV and short-drama actor passes away at 33, agency confirms
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Do dark-coloured cars burn more fuel for AC in summer?
)
Question on 'dissent' sparks tense moment at CJI Surya Kant's London lecture; video goes viral - What exactly happened
)
Pune IT sector under scrutiny: 5th firm shuts in 8 months, 5,000 lose jobs
)
'The ball is in Trump's court': Iran says negotiations hit impasse over $24 billion in frozen assets
)
'Are you from India?': Trump's dig at Indian journalist triggers racism debate - VIDEO
)
Annamalai's new political movement records 10 lakh registrations within 10 hours
)
A miracle in the Caribbean: How a country of just 156,000 people qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026
)
World Environment Day: AI could chug water enough to sustain all 8.1 billion people on Earth for over a year, UN report warns
)
Bondi Beach attack hero Ahmed al Ahmed charged in Australia: Here's why
)
‘Don’t come to Delhi airport’: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke’s message before arriving in India
)
'They still have capacity': Trump makes BIG claim on Iran's missile arsenal as talks hit impasse, insists he's 'moving very fast'
)
Queen Elizabeth's grandson Peter Phillips marries Harriet Sperling; King Charles, William and Kate attend
)
Who Is Kevin Kunta? Meet Ram Charan’s bodyguard, MMA fighter, who reportedly charges Rs 2–3 lakh per day
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Dhruv Rathee’s scriptwriter, journalist, IIT alumnus: Who are the 3 spokespersons announced by CJP?
)
Indians on H-1B visas exit Texas and its housing boom is dying. Other states could see similar decline
)
US-Iran War: Iran Demands Unfreezing of Assets As Prize for Ending Deadlock
)
Old praise, new problems: Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das's 9-year-old tweet faces scrutiny
)
Australia's 'Dragon Girl' with a tattoo on her eyeball, is now getting a 'coin slot' inserted in her ear
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
From Phil Foden to Joao Pedro, 5 star footballers missing FIFA World Cup 2026
)
Norway Chess 2026: R Praggnanandhaa scripts history, becomes first Indian champion in tournament history
)
Trump's immigration curbs on 39 countries struck down: Is it good news for Indians? WION Decodes
)
Delhi hotel owner helped Bangladeshi nationals get fake Indian documents, was arrested and booked last year
)
NASA satellite spots strongest sign of Super El Nino, confirming all predictions - What to expect?
)
Iran says it fired missiles and drones at US warships in Gulf of Oman, claims USS Tripoli retreated
)
1,000-year-old Viking tradition sees over 700 whales and dolphins massacred
)
'Future doesn't look bright': Indian GenZ was busy debating Cockroach Janta Party, AI quietly took their jobs in last 1 month
Energy and nutrient cycles in the ocean
The role viruses play in algal blooms, which sometimes harm marine life
How viruses evolve unusual traits like extra-long tails
The genome of PelV-1 is also very large. It contains 467 genes across 459,000 base pairs much bigger than most viruses. Some of these genes are usually found only in living cells, such as those linked to energy production and light-harvesting proteins. This suggests PelV-1 may use sunlight in some way, a feature very rare for viruses.
)
Virus with longest tail Photograph: (bioRxiv)
Another rare virus discovered
Alongside PelV-1, scientists also identified a second virus in the same culture, named co-PelV. Unlike PelV-1, it does not have a tail. However, it carries metabolic genes that may affect how its host behaves and uses energy.
Researchers now plan to study:
How PelV-1 builds its unusual tail
Whether other long-tailed viruses exist in the world’s oceans
The role these viruses play in shaping marine ecosystems
The discovery of PelV-1 shows that the ocean still hides countless mysteries.
