Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Challenging the dogma that viruses only infect a narrow range of hosts
| Term |
Amount |
Date Approved |
| 30 months |
$1,001,422 |
May 2012 |
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Purpose
To challenge the paradigm that viruses infect only a narrow range of hosts by investigating how viruses that infect phytoplankton may also infect the small crustaceans that feed upon them. If this conceptual shift proves correct, it would fundamentally change scientists' understanding of virus-host relationships and the influence of viruses on host evolution. The project will also shed new light on how viruses may affect crustacean feeding behavior and the consequent flow of carbon in marine ecosystems.
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