Fig. 3

Faustovirus mariensis and Vermamoeba vermiformis interactions. Faustovirus mariensis is able to infect V. vermiformis trophozoites (1), and V. vermiformis infected cells can be lysed (2). However, infected cells release encystment factors (3) that trigger the encystment of the infected (4) and uninfected neighbor cells (5), which, in turn, will not be infected since faustovirus mariensis is unable to infect cysts (6). Infected trophozoites are converted to cysts containing faustovirus particles and VFs in different stages of the replication cycle (4). Although cysts not containing viral particles or VFs are able to excyst (7), cysts containing faustovirus particles and VFs do not have the ability to excyst (8). In addition to viruses, VFs are trapped inside the cyst (9), hampering faustovirus mariensis dissemination. Viral factory: VF