# gst: apropos of 'reprogrammed by a virus' (2), the case of 'virocells'

<< If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, so the adage goes, it must be a duck. But if the duck gets infected by a virus so that it no longer looks or quacks like one, is it still a duck? >>

Viruses reprogram cells into different virocells. DOE/Joint Genome Institute. 

 Feb 11, 2020.

https://m.phys.org/news/2020-02-viruses-reprogram-cells-virocells.html

<< Ocean viruses are abundant and infect 20–40% of surface microbes. Infected cells, termed virocells, are thus a predominant microbial state. Yet, virocells and their ecosystem impacts are understudied, thus precluding their incorporation into ecosystem models. >>

AA << investigated how unrelated bacterial viruses (phages) reprogram one host into contrasting virocells with different potential ecosystem footprints. >>

<< Ecologically, this work suggests that one cell, infected versus uninfected, can have immensely different metabolisms that affect the ecosystem differently. >>

Howard-Varona C, Lindback MM, et al. Phage-specific metabolic reprogramming of virocells. ISME J. doi: 10.1038/s41396-019-0580-z. Jan 2, 2020.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41396-019-0580-z

Also

keyword 'virus' in FonT

https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=virus

keyword 'virus' in Notes (quasi- stochastic poetry)

https://inkpi.blogspot.com/search?q=virus