Size isn’t only mystery of huge virus

Strange replication method and unusual genetic sequence among the mysteries

Pandoravirus salinus, the largest virus ever identified, has been found on the seafloor off the coast of Chile.

Courtesy of Chantal Abergel and Jean-Michel Claverie 

The largest virus ever identified has been found on the seafloor off the coast of Chile. Pandoravirus salinus is about twice as long as the previous record holder, Megavirus chilensis, with a genome that is twice as large.