Figure 2.

Representative scheme of the temporal gene expression in NCLDVs. During initial times of infection, the expression of genes related to the metabolism of nucleic acids is primarily activated (early and intermediate genes). After DNA replication, the activation of late genes is initiated. Those genes are involved in the production of viral structural proteins, in transcription factors used for early gene expression and also in proteins that facilitate the initial step of infection of the viral progeny in the next round of multiplication. Purple boxes represent the promoters described for giant viruses according to each gene category (early, intermediate and late genes). Yellow boxes exemplify the biological functions involved in each category, with some genes represented inside the parentheses.