Editing Coccolithophore (section)

===Viral infection and coevolution===
Giant [[DNA virus|DNA-containing viruses]] are known to [[Lytic Cycle|lytically]] infect coccolithophores, particularly ''E. huxleyi''.  These viruses, known as E. huxleyi viruses (EhVs), appear to infect the coccosphere coated diploid phase of the life cycle almost exclusively.  It has been proposed that as the haploid organism is not infected and therefore not affected by the virus, the co-evolutionary "[[arms race]]" between coccolithophores and these viruses does not follow the classic [[Red Queen's Hypothesis|Red Queen]] evolutionary framework, but instead a "Cheshire Cat" ecological dynamic.<ref name=Frada2008>{{citation |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=105 |issue=41 |year=2008 |pages=15944–15949 |title=The "Cheshire Cat" escape strategy of the coccolithophore ''Emiliania huxleyi'' in response to viral infection |first=M. |last=Frada |doi=10.1073/pnas.0807707105 |display-authors=etal  |bibcode = 2008PNAS..10515944F |pmid=18824682 |pmc=2572935|doi-access=free }}</ref>  More recent work has suggested that viral synthesis of [[sphingolipids]] and induction of [[programmed cell death]] provides a more direct link to study a Red Queen-like [[coevolution]]ary arms race at least between the coccolithoviruses and diploid organism.<ref name="Vardi2012"/>