ERC Consolidator Grant · 2025
The epigenetic cost and benefit balance of giant virus endogenizations
Giant viruses, renowned for their exceptionally large genomes with thousands of genes, are increasingly being identified as integrated elements within eukaryotic genomes. This seemingly paradoxical process of endogenization is significant, as it represents a pathway for large-scale lateral gene transfer in eukaryotes. However, the initial integration of viral DNA can impose severe evolutionary costs, potentially being lethal for the host. The overarching hypothesis of this proposal is that the genetic conflict between giant virus and host genome merging is mediated at the chromatin regulation level. Giant virus endogenizations are often epigenetically silenced and evolutionary dynamic. This…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.