Giant DNA viruses encode their own eukaryote-like translation machinery, researchers discover
Phys.org
February 18, 2026
In a new study, published in Cell, researchers describe a newfound mechanism for creating proteins in a giant DNA virus, comparable to a mechanism in eukaryotic cells. The finding challenges the dogma that viruses lack protein synthesis machinery, and blurs the line between cellular life and viruses.
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Originally published on Phys.org on 2/18/2026