Viruses are convenient models for the elucidation of life processes. The study of viruses is again on the cutting edge of biological sciences: systems biology, genomics, proteomics, metagenomics, using the newest most powerful tools. Huge amounts of new details on virus interactions with the cell, other pathogens and the hosts – animal (including human), insect, fungal, plant, bacterial, and archaeal - and their role in infection and disease are forthcoming in perplexing details requiring analysis and comments. Virus Genes is dedicated to the publication of studies on the structure and function of viruses and their genes, the molecular and systems interactions with the host and all applications derived thereof, providing a forum for the analysis of data and discussion of its implications, and the development of new hypotheses.