Mavirus
| Mavirus | |
|---|---|
| The virophage Mavirus (lower left) with its associated giant virus CroV | |
| Virus classification | |
| (unranked): | Virus |
| Realm: | Varidnaviria |
| Kingdom: | Bamfordvirae |
| Phylum: | Preplasmiviricota |
| Class: | Virophaviricetes |
| Order: | Lavidavirales |
| Family: | Maviroviridae |
| Genus: | Mavirus |
| Species: | Mavirus cafeteriae |
Mavirus is a genus of double stranded DNA virus that can infect the marine phagotrophic flagellate Cafeteria roenbergensis, but only in the presence of the giant CroV virus (Cafeteria roenbergensis). The genus contains only one species: Mavirus cafeteriae. Mavirus can integrate into the genome of cells of C. roenbergensis, and thereby confer immunity to the population
The name is derived from Maverick virus.
The virophage was discovered by Matthias G. Fischer of the University of British Columbia while he was working on Cafeteria roenbergensis virus as part of his PhD.