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Megavirus chilensis, a close relative of the Mimivirus giant virus, is also the most complex virus sequenced to date, with a 1.26 Mb double-stranded DNA genome encoding 1120 genes. The two viruses share common regulatory elements such as a peculiar palindrome governing the termination/polyadenylation of viral transcripts. They also share a predicted polyadenylate synthase that presents a higher than average percentage of residue conservation. The Megavirus enzyme Mg561 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. A 2.24 Å resolution MAD data set was recorded from a single crystal on the ID29 beamline at the ESRF.

Megavirus chilensis, a close relative of the Mimivirus giant virus, is able to replicate in Acanthamoeba castellanii. The first step of viral infection involves the internalization of the virions in host vacuoles. It has been experimentally demonstrated that Mimivirus particles contain many proteins capable of resisting oxidative stress, as encountered in the phagocytic process. These proteins are conserved in Megavirus, which has an additional gene (Mg277) encoding a putative superoxide dismutase. The Mg277 ORF product was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. A SAD data set was collected to 2.24 Å resolution at the selenium peak wavelength on the BM30 beamline at the ESRF from a single crystal of selenomethionine-substituted recombinant superoxide dismutase protein.