10. The Virus World and its evolution
Viruses have been discovered in a rather inconspicuous manner, as a kind of peculiar pathogen and possibly a special form of toxin that causes plant diseases such as tobacco mosaic. The agents of these diseases passed through fine filters that captured bacteria, so it has been correctly concluded that these agents are distinct from (typical) bacteria. Shortly thereafter, the first viruses infecting animals were discovered. These included the Rous Sarcoma Virus, the first known tumorigenic virus, and strange agents that seemed to devour bacteria, which were named bacteriophages but actually turned out to be bacterial viruses. Virology then enjoyed illustrious development in the twentieth century (Fields, et ...
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