Chinese scientists have discovered the deepest virus in the Mariana Trench

Chinese researchers made an unprecedented scientific discovery when they discovered virus the deepest in the world.

The virus, named vB_HmeY_H4907, was discovered at a depth of 29,199 feet (8,839 meters) inside the Mariana Trench, which drops to about 36,000 feet (11,000 meters) at its lowest point on the seafloor. Pacific Ocean.

A virus is a bacteriophage, a type of life form that infects bacteria and then hijacks their cellular machinery to create new copies of itself.

The researchers published their findings Sept. 20 in the journal. Microbiological spectrum.

“To our knowledge, this is the deepest known isolated phage in the world’s oceans.” says the statement main author Ming Wangmarine virologist from China Ocean University in Qingdao.

The newly discovered virus infects Halomonas bacteria and does so lysogenously, meaning it inserts its genetic material into the bacterial genome and multiplies without killing the bacteria. This may be due to the hostile environment in which both the virus and bacteria have evolved, meaning that it cannot afford to kill its host.