Naiavirus: an enveloped giant virus with a pleomorphic, flexible tail

Matheus Rodrigues, Victória Queiroz, Thalita Arantes, Henrique Limborço, Bruna Neiva, Nidia Arias, Talita Machado, Matheus Barcelos, Juliana R. Cortines, Otavio Henrique Thiemann, Rafael Elias Marques, Talita Diniz Melo-Hanchuk, Eliana Leonor Hurtado Celis, João Pessoa Araujo, Erik Reis, Luiz Carlos Junior Alcantara, Cezar Batista Cunha Santos, Abdeali Jivaji, Rodrigo A. L. Rodrigues, Frank O. Aylward () and Jônatas Santos Abrahão ()
Additional contact information
Matheus Rodrigues: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Victória Queiroz: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Thalita Arantes: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Henrique Limborço: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Bruna Neiva: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Nidia Arias: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Talita Machado: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Matheus Barcelos: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Juliana R. Cortines: Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes
Otavio Henrique Thiemann: Physics Institute of Sao Carlos
Rafael Elias Marques: Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM)
Talita Diniz Melo-Hanchuk: Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM)
Eliana Leonor Hurtado Celis: Bioscience Institute and Institute of Biotechnology (IBTEC)
João Pessoa Araujo: Bioscience Institute and Institute of Biotechnology (IBTEC)
Erik Reis: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Luiz Carlos Junior Alcantara: Fundação Oswaldo Cruz and Expanded Navigation for Intensive and Optimized Surveillance (NAVIO) Network
Cezar Batista Cunha Santos: Sexto Distrito Naval da Marinha do Brasil
Abdeali Jivaji: Virginia Tech
Rodrigo A. L. Rodrigues: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia
Frank O. Aylward: Virginia Tech
Jônatas Santos Abrahão: Departamento de Microbiologia / Centro de Microscopia

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Numerous studies have shown that viruses are present in a variety of environments on Earth, acting as drivers of biogeochemical cycles and powerful selective forces. Among them, giant viruses of amoebae have garnered attention from the scientific community due to their large particles and extensive genomes. Here, we describe the discovery of one of the largest tailed viruses in the known virosphere (averaging 1350 nm), named Naiavirus. This virus, isolated from a swamp biome in Brazil, has particles with a never-before-seen morphology and composition, and represents the first giant amoeba virus with an external envelope covering the capsid and extending over a flexible tail region. The Naiavirus genome, with nearly 1 million base pairs, reveals a unique set of genes, and does not resemble any other virus previously isolated so far.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63463-6

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