Newfound viruses fill a missing link in the story of life

Researchers at the University of Miami have identified a group of previously unknown viruses that sit halfway between viruses and the protein shells cells use to run chemistry — a living missing link. Published in Nature Communications, the work suggests these shells, called encapsulins, and viruses traded roles repeatedly over millions of years, rather than one simply descending from the other. It is basic science with a long shadow: understanding how nature first learned to package reactions and information is groundwork for biotechnology — and for the oldest question of all, how life began.